You Will Remember Me
by Saoirse Laochra
Summary: Gladiator A/U. In a world where Benders make up only a small portion of the population, they're made slaves at a young age, and trained to fight in arenas as gladiators. The House of Sozin is known for its harsh, brutal, yet effective training methods; the reigning champions for the last fifty years have come from their training school. Full Summary Inside
1. Some Legends Are Told

A/N: So, relatively new to the AtLA fandom, but I absolutely love the show. Decided to write this.

WARNINGS: Violence, Angst, Slavery, Forced Fighting, Abuse, Non-graphic Child Abuse/Sexual Abuse, Death (no main characters), torture, slight language (a bit harsher than the show, nothing too serious)... Anything that remotely ties into those... And if you notice anymore that I didn't think of, please let me know.

PAIRINGS: Zuko/Mai (Maiko), Aang/Katara (eventually) (Kaatang), Sokka/Suki (Suka),

While language and stuff isn't an issue, this is still rated 'T' because it will be dark, kiddies. Very dark. Not graphic enough to go to 'M', but still. Be warned, as this goes on, it's not going to be a happy story, and -depending on my mood at the end -it might not even have a happy ending.

FULL SUMMARY:

In a world where Benders make up only a small portion of the population, they're made slaves at a young age, and trained to fight in arenas as gladiators. The House of Sozin is known for its harsh, brutal, yet effective training methods; the reigning champions for the last fifty years have come from their training school.

Rumors swirl around the current champion –Zuko, the youngest champion in over a hundred years, trained under the tutelage of the greatest champion ever known: the Dragon of the West. Nobody knows for sure what the truth is, but most sources agree that he's the illegitimate child of some Fire Nation Noble. All sources agree that –in time –he might even replace the Dragon as the greatest champion.

But Zuko has been temporarily forgotten in the excitement of new rumors. Supposedly, House Sozin has acquired the last of the Air Benders –a long-rumored extinct tribe of Benders who haven't been seen in over three hundred years.

A Gladiator A/U, where the Gaang are trained by House Sozin to fight in arenas.

* * *

"Again."

Zuko's one good eye narrowed, glaring at the chubby, elderly man sitting on the side lines, but he kept silent, stepping back into the starting form of the kata.

Taking a deep breath, he centered himself, moving his feet – _left to the front, pointed out, right to the back, pointed to the right_ –and raising his hands.

"Begin!"

Starting small, merely encasing his hands in flames, he threw two punches, followed by a sliding side kick, before moving into jumping spin kick. Landing, he finished the move by sending duel jets of flame shooting twenty feet into the air.

Holding the pose for a few seconds, he kept his head bowed, waiting.

"Very good, Zuko," Sifu Iroh said, taking a sip of his tea. "Your stance was perfect."

The scarred young man scoffed as he pulled himself back to a natural stance. "I would hope so. It's a starting kata."

"It is always good to remember the basics, Zuko. Especially since Master Ozai has ordered you to help train the new recruits coming in today."

The young man scoffed again, rolling his eyes as he sat down next to the old man.

"I don't want to train the new meat," He said angrily, grabbing the proffered cup of tea from the man, and swallowing it down as quickly as possible. "Half of them won't survive the first week, and half the ones who _do_ survive won't amount to anything more than opening game fodder at best. The one or two who might _actually_ amount to something? They're not going to be Fire Benders, and I'm going to want to turn them into ash in frustration when they refuse to learn the way I teach."

Iroh sighed, setting his own cup down. "Zuko… You _must_ teach these new benders. Master Ozai has _ordered_ it. This is your last chance. After what happened with the last bunch… I would not risk his anger, Zuko."

"Please. I'm the Champion of Ba Sing Se and Capitol City. I'm taking 20 to 1 on the Northern Pole. I shouldn't even _have_ to train the new slaves."

"Do you remember what happened last time you informed the Master of your feelings?" Iroh asked softly, but his voice still carried a sharp edge. "You forget what you are, Zuko. You may be the Champion of House Sozin. You may be one of the best Fire Benders in three kingdoms. You _may_ even be the greatest gladiator in the three kingdoms. But for all that, you are a _slave_ , Zuko. Just as the new recruits you call 'meat'. Just as I am. Just as the those who draw the Master's bath. You overestimate your value to Master Ozai and House Sozin. You overestimate who you are, and where you stand. And one day, it will get you more than a burned face –it will get you killed."

He wasn't exactly surprised when the teenager stood angrily, fire blowing from his nostrils as he breathed angrily. He said nothing, staring down at Iroh, golden eyes blazing in the morning sun, before stomping off across the training yard to his small room.

Iroh sighed, bending a bit of fire to warm his tea. It wasn't cold –as a matter of fact, it was still fairly hot –but it gave him something to do, and an excuse to sit and think a bit longer.

He wouldn't deny that the boy had good reason for a healthy sized ego; he truly was one of the best Fire Benders Iroh had seen in ages. Perhaps as good –or even better –as Iroh himself had been fifty years ago. There was a reason that –for the first time in Iroh's knowledge –the Champion of House Sozin was barely out of his childhood years. Most Houses wouldn't allow anyone below the age of eighteen to enter the arena, leaving the boy standing victor over men ten or even twenty years his senior.

But the fifteen year old had a _vicious_ temper. Which was an excellent thing to have in the arena, but it did him no favors in his ludus, well-known across the three kingdoms for being one of –if not _the_ –harshest in the world. And Ozai was perhaps the most brutal master House Sozin had ever seen.

"Sifu Iroh?"

Iroh pulled himself from his thoughts, forcing a smile to his face as he turned to look at the young Earth Bender kneeling before him.

"Sifu, if you are finished helping the Champion, perhaps we can start our session early?"

Iroh chuckled, pushing himself to his feet, feeling his knees creaking beneath him. "But of course, Haru. But we shall have to hurry; the new group will be arriving before Agni finds the center of the sky."

"Have you heard the rumors, Sifu?" The young man asked excitedly, stepping into position on the sand.

Iroh smiled, a twinkle in his eye as he took up his own position. "Indeed. Who hasn't?"

"And is it true? Agh!"

Iroh chuckled again as the boy yelped, barely pulling up a rock wall in front of him in time to dodge Iroh's fire.

"You should concentrate on yourself, Haru; otherwise you may not live to see if the rumors are correct." Despite his words, there was no malice in his voice.

He'd learned a long time ago that –no matter who was Champion, or who was new, who was in favor, and who was out –all of the Benders at House Sozin were in the same boat. There was no use squabbling amongst themselves, like dogs scrambling for the largest piece of rotten, vulture-maggot infested meat.

But that didn't mean he was 'easy' on them either. As Sifu, his job was to ensure they would survive in the arena –a difficult job, given that Lady Luck played as much a part in their lives as anything else. He'd seen great warriors meet their deaths because of a small branch, or first-timers land a killing blow in the first hit.

But he did his best. And he'd like to think his best was pretty damned good, all things considered, he thought with a grim smile, leaping back to avoid the tidal wave of rock coming at him. He rarely lost more than a handful of men a year, and most of those were –again –the fault of ill-fated luck.

Or over-excitement.

Haru groaned, rubbing at the back of his head as he pulled himself off the ground. Iroh offered him a hand, pulling him close to inspect the wound.

Ah, a minor thing. Head wounds bleed much, and frequently meant little.

"If your mind had been centered, that never would have happened, Haru," He said sternly, looking the man in the eye. "In the arena, I easily could have turned that into a death blow, and I would be without my favorite Earth Bender."

Haru grimaced sheepishly. "Apologies, Sifu. I… You're right. I wasn't paying attention."

Iroh clasped his hand on the man's shoulder, moving him towards the healer's tent. "I will admit though… it is an exciting thought. Now go get that checked. It wouldn't do to have you bleed to death on me."

"Sifu Iroh?"

Iroh turned, a smile coming to his face at the sight of one of house slaves.

"Mai! It's been a long time since you've graced my aging eyes with your glorious beauty!"

An eye roll, and slight quirk at the corners of her lips was the only expression she gave him. The house slaves –all the female slaves, really –were well used to his incessant flirting, and knew he meant nothing by it. He'd lost his wife many years ago, and had steadfastly refused to take another.

But Mai was one of his favorites. The girl was never obvious about her emotions –reminded him of his wife. A raised eyebrow here, flaring her nose… That was about as overt as she ever got.

Which was probably good seeing who she served.

"Master Ozai would like to see you in his office. Immediately," She added dryly, gesturing towards the house.

"Of course. Lead the way."

Iroh bowed low, hands folded across his chest as he came to a stop in front of the Master of the house.

"You summoned me, Master Ozai?"

The dark-haired man sitting at the desk looked up slowly, a small frown on his face.

"Yes, I did. I'm sure you've heard the rumors?"

Iroh nodded. "Of course. Everyone has. And they're all talking about it."

"They're true. I have the first Air Bender in captivity arriving with the others this afternoon. What are your thoughts?"

Iroh barely managed to keep his surprise off his face. Ozai had always lacked any real subtlety –a fact he was well used to –but his casualness about the issue was astonishing.

"Well, Master Ozai… I would worry about training him. I know nothing of Air Bending. But I would imagine after a few weeks, I could work out all the little issues. It's simply a matter of learning," He said respectfully.

"Do you think he could be ready for the Water Tribe fight?"

Iroh raised his eyebrows. "The one in two months? Or the one next year?"

Ozai rolled his eyes. "The upcoming fight, Iroh. Obviously."

"Permission to speak plainly, Master Ozai?" When Ozai nodded, Iroh took a deep breath. "I would advise against it. Even if I could work out a training regimen suitable to his style in such a short time, I fear he wouldn't be prepared –mentally or physically –to fight other Benders in the arena. And with such a rare commodity, losing him to a fight because we pushed too fast would be a waste, and a shame. Besides, we have Zuko to fight in the Water Tribe fight. He's the ones the crowds will be rooting for. The Air Bender should have his own match, carefully picked, to stand in his own glory. Perhaps in the Capital games in the fall?"

Ozai leaned back in his chair. "I can see the wisdom in that. Time to pick an ideal match, and present him in such a way that the crowds will be clamoring to see him. I'll think on it."

"Master Ozai, if I may, who else is coming in today? For Benders, of course," He added quickly, making sure Ozai didn't think he was overstepping his bounds.

Ozai waved a hand dismissively. "An Earth Bending girl –supposedly she made quite the stir in the underground circuits – and a newly captured Southern Water Bender girl." He searched through the papers on his desk for a moment, before pulling one up and glancing it over. "The Water Bender is fifteen, and the Earth Bender is twelve."

"Twelve? That is… young to be making a name for herself, Master Ozai. Few Benders younger than sixteen have ever stood in an arena. I hope we're not planning on putting her in the games?"

Ozai's face darkened, and Iroh immediately regretted his words.

"You will test her to see if she's suitable. If she is, she will fight. Zuko was only a year older when he first entered the arena. And now he is champion for two Nations, and set to take the Water Nation championship. We make champions here, Iroh. You either help in that process –setting aside your useless 'morality' –or I'll find someone else to do so. My father let you act above your station; I will not. Do not make me have this conversation again."


	2. Do I Have Your Attention?

A/N: Alrighty, so, big thank you to Kataang4eve, and Avatar Roxas for reviewing. Chapter two! Yay.

* * *

A knock on the door pulled Zuko sharply from his slumber, his fists catching fire before he could stop himself.

"What?" He called out, struggling to control his breathing, dousing the flames covering his hands as he stood.

"Sifu Iroh sent me; the new gladiators are coming up the road, and he requests your presence," One of the house slaves called through the door.

"Fine. Tell him I'll be right there."

He scrubbed a hand through his hair –Ozai had ordered him to let it grow out, the crowd seemed to like it better, as if that wasn't a bullshit excuse–before sharply putting his hand down when his fingers brushed over the large scar that covered more than half of the left side of his face.

Growling lowly, he stood up, throwing on the red tunic that marked him as a Fire Bender, before stomping out the door.

Iroh cut his eyes towards Zuko as the boy sauntered up next to him, falling into a relaxed stance with his arms folded across his chest.

"Good of you to join us, Zuko," He said pleasantly, ignoring the teenager's dark glare. "We have three new Benders coming in today; you will be primary Sifu for two of them, while I work with the other."

Despite the anger radiating off the boy, Iroh sensed the amazement in him as well; it was subtle –probably nobody else would have noticed –but he spotted the subtle tightening of the boy's jaw, his good eye narrowing almost imperceptibly.

"So it's true then," He said, his voice dismissive. "He caught himself an Air Bender. He wouldn't pull you away from me –or new Benders –unless he had something more important than me. And with the Water Games coming up…" His voice stopped abruptly, his face hardening. "So I'm to spend all my free time training the new meat… Yet if I lose the fight, death would be a pleasant alternative to what Ozai will do to me. Another wonderful day at House Sozin."

Iroh glanced around at the chi-blocker guards surrounding them nervously, before turning his attention back to Zuko.

"One of these days, Zuko, your mouth is going to get you killed," He hissed quietly, before plastering his trademark smile on his face as two large wagons pulled into view.

The boy merely shrugged, gluing his eyes to the wagons. "There are worse fates," He muttered, barely loud enough for Iroh to hear him.

A few minutes later, the two wagons pulled to a halt, and six chi-blockers went to the backdoor, pulling both open. Eight people milled out of the first, and five out of the second. Most of them were young –between eight and sixteen was the average for slaves at House Sozin since Ozai liked training them 'before they could get any bad habits' –but there were a few older. One old man –easily as old or older than Iroh himself –and two middle aged women made up the 'elders' of the group, while the rest were easily Zuko's age or younger.

"Sukki of Kyoshi."

As the Chi-Bender read out the name, a young, red haired girl stepped forward, her eyes low, and shoulders stooped together. Clearly not a freshly caught or sold slave, Iroh thought sadly, his heart going out to the young girl as she moved towards the guard.

"Toph of Omashu."

Iroh raised one eyebrow at the cocky swagger the little girl stepped forward. Maybe half Zuko's height, the girl walked as if she owned the place, instead of being a newly arrived slave.

"Step towards Sifu Iroh and Champion Zuko."

"We will have to cut her hair," Iroh said quietly to Zuko, still amazed at the girl's confidence as she marched towards them. "That will impede her in the arena."

Zuko shrugged, but Iroh could see the tightening of his shoulders, and he couldn't help but smile a bit. He'd been telling the boy the same thing for six months at least, but he'd steadfastly refused to cut it. But he turned his thoughts to other matters as the girl –Toph –came to a stop a few feet away, bowing low, and then moving to Zuko's right.

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Iroh felt a flash of pity for the dark skinned, dark haired young girl who stepped forward. About Zuko's age –perhaps a few years younger –the girl was still dressed in the heavy furs that were common among her people, obviously the cause for the sweat dripping down her face. Her stance was an interesting mix of fear and determination, which was unsurprising, given that she was newly captured. According to Ozai, her and her brother had hid what she was from the time she was a small child, leading to his own slavery.

"Step towards Sifu Iroh and Champion Zuko."

The girl did as ordered, a hesitant movement to her step, throwing a glance back over her shoulder nervously.

"Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe."

The boy who stepped out was perhaps fifteen, maybe sixteen. He had the world wary look of an weasel-boar, trying to watch everything and everyone, ready to strike at a moment's notice. From the way the chi-blockers stepped forward, tensing up, Iroh assumed there had already been a few issues, but the boy looked under control enough at the moment.

Which all changed quickly when the boy stepped towards his sister, and the guards moved forward.

"You stand in this line," The guard snapped.

"What? No!"

Quicker than Iroh could react, the courtyard descended into chaos. The boy began screaming and yelling, trying to get to his sister, while the girl tried running to him.

But Zuko grabbed her, spinning her towards Iroh, before darting over to the boy.

Sokka began fighting in earnest as the scarred, dark-haired boy grabbed him in a chokehold, pulling him back away from Katara.

"Katara! Katara!" He screamed, trying to move to her. She was sobbing, held tight in the grip of the old man, arms reached out towards him.

"Will you stop, and listen?!" The boy holding him hissed. "They're going to take this out on her if you don't stop! Is that what you want?! Do you know what they _do_ to female slaves to punish them? Quit giving them ammunition!"

That thought hit Sokka like a load of bricks, the fight –and breath –going out of him like someone had kicked him in the chest. Sobbing, he stopped fighting, staring at his sister.

The boy's grip on him eased a bit.

"Listen to me: I'll take care of her, alright? You worry about you; you'll have a hard enough time with that. She's my responsibility, and I'll protect her. But you can't do this, because they'll take it out on her, and I won't be able to stop it, you understand? But if you do as you're told, I'll make sure she's taken care; I'll make sure she's safe. I won't let anything happen to her. You have my word."

* * *

Mai watched silently from behind an archway as Zuko took his two new Benders, and marched off towards the training grounds, shaking her head a bit.

The damn fool was liable to get himself killed. To ignore the new Air Bender, to walk away from any of the incoming slaves, was an insult, and he knew it. Especially after what had happened the last time Ozai had put him in charge of the new Benders.

The two of them had grown up together; spent most of their lives together really. It had been a few years ago when she'd realized –much to her disgust –that the twittering feeling in her stomach was from some stupid, pointless crush. She'd been a slave to House Sozin for almost three years by that time; long enough to know that slaves only married when the master of the house permitted. In her case, as Lord Ozai's personal messenger and errand runner, it was unlikely that he'd ever give her leave to marry anyone, much less Champion of House Sozin.

Granted, Zuko had only been a slave –and not yet Champion –for a year at that point, but the fact remained the same: her feelings were best kept locked away and hidden.

But that didn't stop her from worrying. Few people knew how the 'Scarred Dragon' had earned that moniker, with most believing it to be some training accident gone horribly wrong. But she knew the truth of the matter, and she also knew that Zuko's temper, and his refusal to step in line was bound to get him killed –sooner rather than later. There was no denying it.


	3. You Are Not A Human Being

A/N: Thank you for everyone who's reviewed, and -because this has come up several times -I'd like to explain something about pairings, at least in my stories. I don't write stories based around the pairings. I don't focus the stories around pairings. Pairings will come up, obviously, but they're tertiary to plot and characters. Will there be Maiko? Yes. Will it be the focus? No. Will every chapter involve it? Hell no. This isn't a romance story, it's a story about a group of slaves trying to survive. So. That being said, if you're looking for a romance Maiko fic, or Kataang fic, or whatever, you might want to look elsewhere. This will definitely be a slow burn, and even then, y'all have to remember: even if they were suddenly free, in this story, we're talking about a group of children who have been forced to kill for sport, among horrible other things that will eventually come up in this story. They live in constant fear of being tortured, or killed by their owners. Even if they were all magically free, they'd be incapable of having a normal, functioning relationship. I mean, yeah, this story will have it's sweet, tender moments here and there (be warned, they will be sporadic, my muse hates being forced away from angst), and there will be some romance thrown in eventually. But this isn't going to be Titanic story, or Twilight, or whatever other romances people are reading and watching these days.

Anyways, sorry for the long spiel, I just figured since it'd been mentioned by several reviewers, and in PM's, I'd make one big statement, and reassure people that this isn't going to get mushy gushy or anythings. As always, thank you for reading, thank you to everyone who's reviewed, and feel free to either review, or PM me with questions, comments, concerns, or even things you'd like to see happen.

P.S. Upon reading this chapter over in editing, I realized it gives off a creepy Zutara vibe. I don't view it as Zutara, I view it as Zuko being his normal, intense, overly-dramatic self. See above if you need more on this. : )

* * *

Toph stopped, turning her feet in the direction of the house, catching a glimpse of a tall, skinny girl hiding behind the archway.

"Who's the girl watching you?" She asked, moving again to catch up to the Scarred Dragon and the Water Bender girl.

Zuko turned his head towards the house, before continuing on. "That's Mai. Probably keeping an eye for Ozai. She's his personal go-between slave. She watches, and reports back to him. So when she's around, make it good. Otherwise, it won't go well for you." By the time he'd finished, he'd come to a stop in the center of a large, sand-filled square. Toph couldn't help but wrinkle her nose as she stepped out onto the shifting grains, her vision going fuzzy.

"Are all your arenas sand-based?" She asked, trying to dig her foot further down, trying to find solid ground.

She could sense the suspicion in his voice as he turned towards her. "A good many are. Why?"

" 'Cause I see with my feet. And fighting on sand for me would be like you fighting with a veil over your eyes."

"You see with your… feet?"

"Yeah. I'm blind. But I can see –or at least how I guess you guys see –with my feet."

She wasn't surprised when he began cursing loudly.

"They give me a blind girl to work with, and expect me to turn her into an Arena Master. Agni be damned!"

"Hey, hey, hey! On solid ground, I'd take you on any day of the week, Sparky!" She said indignantly. "I'm the best Earth Bender in the world!"

He scoffed. "Really? Fine. Your rules then. There's a courtyard we can practice in. We'll see how good you are. And you," He snapped, turning towards the still sniffling Water Bender. "Stop that before one of the House Family sees you. They spot you crying, and they'll give you a reason to cry."

The girl nodded slowly, wiping her face with her hands as she followed Toph and Zuko towards another open area. As soon as she was off the sand, Toph couldn't help her sigh of contentment as her vision righted itself, everything coming into focus again. It got even better when she stepped on the solid rock of the courtyard.

"Alright. Training and practice rules are simple: no permanent damage done ever, and nothing broken against anyone who has a match in the next six weeks. For Earth Benders, that means Bending things at half power; you throw at half power, you don't raise anything more than a foot off the ground. Breaking the rules would be… unhealthy for you," Zuko said darkly, stepping into starting position, before turning his head towards the other girl. "For Water Benders, it's a lot easier. Your style lends itself to be less lethal; more about knocking an enemy out of a fight, as opposed to killing him. More support based than offense based."

Toph stepped into position herself, smiling as she got a good feel for the Earth around her.

Time to impress.

Katara watched in horror, wanting to look away but unable to, as the boy –everyone had called him Champion Zuko –stepped forward, his feet as light as air as he hurled five large balls of fire at the little blind girl, one after another.

Boom boom boom boom boom.

The girl –Toph, she'd said her name was on the trip, the one time she'd deigned to talk to Katara and Sokka –grinned like she was having the time of her life, a split second before a large stone wall exploded out of the ground around her. Katara lost sight of her, but she could see the large hunks of rock that rose up around the Champion's feet, trying to encase him in stone.

But the boy jumped, his feet landing lightly on top of the rock, shooting four more blasts, but this time aiming at the ground around the outside of Toph's little fortress.

It continued on like that for maybe another minute or so, before finally, from inside the stone, she heard Toph yelp in pain, before yelling, "I give! I give!"

Instantly, the boy stopped, leaping back a few feet, sliding a bit, a grim smile on his face as the stone walls dropped, and the girl leaped out, bouncing lightly on her toes, trying to keep her soles off the bottom.

"I'm going to take a guess, and say you've only fought other Earth Benders. You've got some skill –" Katara would have sworn he almost sounded grudging about it "–but you need to learn how to fight other types of Benders. Hey! Water girl!"

It took Katara a moment to realize he was talking to her, but when she did, she stepped forward so fast she nearly fell over her own feet trying to move to where he pointed as quickly as she could.

"You have any practice at healing?"

She bit her lip, dropping her head to stare at the stone below her. She'd had lots of experience; almost everyone in her small village had known what she was, and had come to her. She'd started small, little cuts and tiny bruises, before moving on to broken bones, and further up the injury scale. By the time a passing trader had passed through, and reported her, she'd healed everyone in the village at least four times, and had saved the lives of at least half of them once.

But she didn't want to tell him that. As it was, Sokka had shared in her punishment; how many more would share their fate if others found out that her little village had rebelled, and accepted her as one of their own? As an equal?

So she said nothing, keeping her head down.

She forced herself not to step away as the boy –Zuko –stepped in close, getting behind her, and whispering into her ear.

"I am not the enemy here, Katara," He said, his voice barely discernable, the warm breath tickling against her ear. "We're all of us –you, me, her –in the exact same situation. My job is to keep you safe, and make sure you don't get slaughtered in the arena. I don't care if everybody in the entire Water Nation knew what you were; that was before, and this is now. All I need to know is if you have any skill at all."

She couldn't help the shiver down her back at the intensity of his words, nodding almost without thought as she stepped forward towards Toph, who had sat on a bench off to the side during their exchange. Taking a deep breath, she summoned some water from a nearby fountain. A few seconds later, Toph stood up, bouncing lightly on the soles of her feet, smiling.

"Hey, that feels pretty good. Thanks!"

"Of course," She said quietly, standing back up, and moving aside as Zuko leaned down to inspect her work.

"Not bad. Actually, it's pretty good. Not bad on the timing, either. Do you have any practice fighting with your Bending?"

She shrugged. "Not against people. Um, a few leopard seals, and wolf-bears. But only to scare them off," She hastily added. "Not to kill."

She would have sworn later that she could hear him grind his teeth, and he actually slapped his open palm against his forehead.

"Don't tell me… You avoid violence unless there's no other choice," He said through gritted teeth.

"Well –"

"Listen, Water girl: there is no other choice here. You understand? You fight, and you fight to win; if you don't fight, Ozai will make you wish you were dead. Try to fight without hurting someone, and the other Benders will make you dead." He paused for a moment, glancing back over his shoulder at Toph. "Toph, what's the first rule of the arena?"

"It's you or them," The little girl responded quickly. "And 'them' is usually a painful way to go."

Zuko nodded, turning his gaze back to Katara. "Not quite how we say it here, but close enough. It's kill or be killed in there. Sometimes the crowd, or magistrate or mayor will call a blow. Will let a loser live. But you'd better be one hell of a crowd favorite for that. And that's assuming that you get a chance to ask for mercy; you take a fist full of fire to the chest? You won't even have time to scream. You won't have time to ask for mercy. Intense, agonizing pain… and then you're nothing more than a burning lump of cooked meat."

She wondered if he realized that his left eye –his burnt eye –twitched a bit when he talked about burning meat. Found herself wondering how he'd gotten his scar. But she dragged her attention back to what he was saying.

"I just… I don't understand," she said finally. "I… The others in the caravan kept talking about the games, but… Why?"

His face scrunched up a bit, his gaze turning quizzical. "Why what?"

"Why do they make us fight?"

"Are you… Seriously? You've never seen a Bender fight?"

She shook her head. "No. I mean, I know that we're… we're supposed to be dangerous, and we're supposed to be kept as… as…" She swallowed, unable to force the word out of her mouth, but continued on, "but all the ones I'd ever seen were just workers. They didn't have to fight. I mean, I just… You said people die in the arena?" At the obvious look on his face, she quickly continued, "How can people watch other people kill each other for sport?"

"Because they don't consider us people, Katara. We're animals –especially dangerous animals, but still animals. To them, we're something less than human," He spat angrily. "It's no different than watching two chicken-ferrets fight in a ring."

"But that's not right!" She said angrily, stomping her foot.

It took her a moment to realize why Zuko had raised one eyebrow, or why Toph was suddenly grinning.

The water in the fountain behind her stood almost ten foot high, with a very angry looking face in the middle.

"You might just survive this yet, Water girl."


	4. Just One Mistake Is All It Will Take

Iroh glanced up at Zuko as the boy flopped down next to him. As Champion, and Sifu, they had their own separate table away from the other slaves, on a small, elevated platform, fenced off from the rest. It allowed them some semblance of privacy, a rare thing for the slaves.

"How goes the training?" Iroh asked, taking a sip of his tea.

The boy shrugged, but his typical scowl was absent, so it must have been going relatively well.

"They'll do fine. Toph is a bit rough –she's only been up against other Earth Benders –but she's got a lot of raw power. More than I've seen in a long time. She makes Haru look like a kid learning to crawl," He admitted. "The girl is a good healer, but she doesn't have the stomach or skill to make it in the arena."

Iroh nodded thoughtfully. "So what are your thoughts of matches?"

Zuko shook his head. "I think the girl should be put under Yugoda; she isn't getting any younger, and we'll need a new healer soon."

"And the Earth Bender?"

"If I can have a few months of training with her, I'm going to ask Ozai if we can be paired in the arena together for the Capital games."

Iroh raised one eyebrow. "Really? You usually do not like working with others, much less other elements."

The boy shrugged again. "She's good. Honestly… She's easily the strongest Earth Bender I've ever seen. I had her doing practice drills with the Earth plates. You know how we thought it was impressive that Haru could control eight of them, and make an 'x' pattern? Toph can control twenty of them, and make them dance around her like fireworks… While raising and lowering a platform she's standing on," He added with a wry smile. "She probably could have done more, but the Ozai and Azula were watching."

Iroh glanced around, making sure the Chi-Blockers were preoccupied down below, before taking a sip of tea, keeping his eyes on the other Benders below as he said, "That is good, Zuko. You are learning. How much stronger do you think she is?"

The boy leaned back, almost lounging staring out at Agni setting in the sky. "Much. I talked to her afterwards; she was smart enough to know why I kept her from continuing. She said she could have easily done double, or even triple what she was doing. And before you say it, yes, she could be boasting. But I don't think so."

"Why?"

Iroh nearly spit out his tea, barely composing himself, keeping his face blank at Zuko's next words.

"She can bend metal."

"That… That is impossible, Zuko," He hissed, leaning forward. "It has never been done. It's never been _heard_ of! She is lying."

Zuko shook his head slowly. "No, she's not. She demonstrated for me, Iroh. She can Bend metal as easily as I bend Fire."

Iroh sat back, stunned. To have such an ability… If discovered, Ozai would order her killed immediately. Whether he discovered how strong she was, or that she had a special form of bending, it wouldn't matter.

Obviously the Masters wanted strong Benders for the arena. Those that weren't up to par were given menial jobs under the close supervision of the Chi Blockers; Earth Benders were put to work in the fields, planting crops, landscaping, worked in the mines, or road construction, and the like, Fire Benders were blacksmiths, fueled their steam machines, factories, and warships, and Water Benders were used as Healers, or in the fields with the Earth Benders. Occasionally, an odd Bender would pop up who was allowed to live, like the plant Bender who was slightly mad and worked out on one of the farms, or the lava benders who were kept on the scattered islands, chained but cared for, used only when the volcanoes erupted.

But those who were _too_ strong, _too_ unique… They were killed as quickly as possible. Once, long before Iroh had been born, there had been a revolt. The Benders had tried to rise up, and claim an equal place amongst non-Benders. According to the story, millions of lives had been lost before the Chi Blockers had put down the rebellion. Since then, the world had been far more cautious in its approach to Benders, and their slavery. In some regions, there were rules regulating a certain amount of Chi Blockers for every Bender, while others had specific laws for the keeping and imprisoning of them.

Ozai continued in the 'grand' Sozin tradition, and relied on brutality and fear to keep his Benders in line.

So most Benders had either figured out, or been taught by their Sifus, to hide just how strong they were. To hide any unusual talents they had. To evaluate how much power was needed to be considered special, without crossing the line into the 'dangerous' category.

"I… You _must_ explain to her, Zuko. As her Sifu, you must explain to her exactly how much _danger_ she is in. That she must keep it secret; she is to tell no one. It is dangerous enough that _we_ know. Ozai will make death look like a pleasant vacation to Ember Island Beaches if he finds out what she is. And our ends –if he discovers our part in hiding her secret –will be little better. Probably worse, given who we are."

Zuko shrugged, almost carelessly, his already dark amber eyes turning darker. "Undoubtedly. Although I'm not sure how it could get worse."

The last part was whispered under his breath, but Iroh had long learned to take advantage of people assuming his age meant deafness.

He frowned at the boy, but quickly plastered over it with a smile when the boy looked up. Continuing to eat dinner as normal, Iroh couldn't help but wonder.

In the last year, Zuko had become increasingly irritable, and withdrawn. Granted, the boy had never been particularly 'pleasant' or forth-coming, but it had gotten worse. He always looked exhausted, except for the week leading up to a fight. Large, black circles under his eyes had become so common as to be unremarkable any more. He'd become more reckless, taking stupid risks in the arena –risks that were bound to get him killed, sooner rather than later.

Outside of the arena as well. The fact that he had left after receiving his two trainees, ignoring Iroh –his Sifu –and the Air Bender was incredibly rude, and the boy knew it. He was pushing the boundary, and if he kept it up, Ozai was going to draw him a boundary line in his own blood, and leave the boy nothing but another broken husk.


	5. Meaner Than My Demons

A/N: Alrighty folks, thank you to all who have reviewed. It makes my day. Secondly, note the first line. This takes place a month after the previous chapter, when things have begun to settle, and everyone's learning where they stand, etc., etc.,.

* * *

 _ONE MONTH LATER_

Aang weaved his way through the other slaves, in various stages of getting their food, or finding a seat, moving towards a table in the back.

In the month he'd been at House Sozin, he'd yet to actually meet, or even interact with, the current Champion of the house, a young boy not much older than himself. Between Aang's vigorous training regimen with Iroh, and the Champion's training with his new Earth Bender and his own training for the upcoming games, there simply hadn't been time.

But, with Iroh gone –gone where, Aang wasn't sure –for a few days, it appeared that Zuko was going to forego eating at the Sifu table, instead choosing a table at the back of the eating enclave with the other slaves.

Well, somewhat with the others, Aang mentally corrected himself. Nobody else sat at the table, not even his protégé Toph, leaving the young man sitting by his lonesome at the long table.

Which was the perfect opportunity to get to know him, Aang decided. So he decided to forego getting his dinner first, and meandered over towards Zuko, sitting down across from him.

"Hi. I'm Aang."

Zuko looked up at him, large bags under his eyes, and his seemingly permanent scowl on his face.

"Yeah. I know."

Aang hesitated, unsure what to do next, waiting for the normal, polite response that never came, before finally plowing ahead.

"I just uh, wanted to introduce myself. Say hello. So… Hello."

"Hello."

"I –"

"Oh, look. The Champion has a new little friend."

Aang turned, surprised at the venom of the words, seeing one of the older Fire Benders –Zhao, he was almost positive the man's name was – stood a few feet and to the left of Aang, his face showing contempt, and maybe even hatred.

"What do you want, Zhao."

Zuko didn't even bother looking up from his food, his tone even, lacking any real emotion at all, Aang noticed, before glancing back at the older Fire Bender.

"Oh, I just wanted to see how you were doing, Zuko. You look a little tired. Not sleeping well?"

There was a knowing, almost taunting tone to the man's question, like he knew the answer to the question, and why. Looking back at Zuko, Aang realized that –despite his carefully neutral face –Zuko's hands were clenched around the edge of the table, a bit of smoke rising through his fingers.

Nervously clearing his throat, Aang looked back at Zhao. "We were just talking shop; you know, wanted to get some pointers and all, figured he'd be the best guy to do it. Since my first fight won't be too far off and everything, I thought maybe the Champion could offer me some tips," He said, his lips running a mile a minute, as Gyatsu used to say, trying to defuse… whatever the heck it was that was happening.

"Oh, really? And exactly what sort of… _tips_ … is he giving you, hmm?"

" _Zhao_."

Zuko's words were quiet, sounding as if all the rage of the world were simmering just below the surface of his marred face. Desperately, Aang looked around, hoping to find someone – _anyone_ –who could end the craziness, but he found that everyone was already aware, and watching, waiting to see what would happen. Silence reigned over the eating area, everyone looking at Zuko, Zhao, and Aang.

"Your Bending, perhaps? But I find it difficult to imagine our little Fire Bending Champion here could teach an Air Bender much. So what sort of _tips_ is he giving, hmm?" Pausing for a moment, Zhao snapped his fingers in an overly dramatic fashion, an evil smirk on his face as he spoke again. "You _are_ a handsome young lad, though. I can think of a few things our Champion could teach you. Why –"

Whatever Zhao had been about to say was cut off, sharply and abruptly, as Zuko roared, leaping over the table, shooting blasts of Fire directly at the man.

Zhao responded in kind, sending Aang ducking behind a pillar, hearing screams from the other gladiators as he did. After a few seconds, everyone had cleared out of the small area, scrambling like mad to get away from the fiery destruction that was being flung about. Aang quickly realized that his own spot behind the pillar wasn't exactly 'safe', ducking out of line of sight, as a blast of heat surrounded the pillar.

Where were the Chi-Blockers? Iroh had told him that many fit, non-Bending slaves were trained for this exact purpose, to put out fights between the gladiators, trained in how to block a person from Bending.

He dared to peek around the corner again, and seen that Zuko had gotten the better of Zhao, who was slowly being pushed back into the wall by Zuko's unrelenting flames.

"Stop! Immediately!"

Aang found himself roughly shoved to the ground, a booted foot planting itself on his back. Squirming a bit, he managed to turn his head back towards the fight, watching in horrified fascination as the guards pulled Zuko off from Zhao, wrenching his arms up behind his back, driving the teenager to his knees with a grunt of pain.

Zhao, on the other hand, wasn't moving from where he lay panting, his clothes charred, and patches of his hair missing.

"What in Agni's name is going on?"

Aang recognized the deadly-soft voice of Master Ozai, a few seconds before the well-dressed man stepped into the small area. A few seconds later, Aang found himself hauled to his feet, followed by a pressing on his neck that forced him into a bow. But he raised his head, still trying to see what was happening.

Ozai first walked over to Zhao, the measured pace of his footsteps never changing, looking down at the man.

"Get this man to Yugoda," He ordered after a few minutes, before turning his attention to Zuko.

Aang might have been 'new' at the whole master/slave etiquette thing, but even he knew how bad it was when Zuko glared up at Ozai, teeth gritted in pain as the guards tried forcing him down further, resisting as best he could with his arms yanked up nearly to his neck.

"Ah, Zuko. Why does it not surprise me to find you at the heart of this little debacle, hmm? Perhaps our last instructional lesson wasn't enough to… _fully_ hammer home the rules. Perhaps something a bit… _stronger_ … is needed. Take him to the Posts."


	6. Been In Pain Like Me

A/N: Alright, while I appreciate and love all reviews (they make my day, seriously I'm like a kid at Christmas when my phone tells me I have an email), I want to make special shout-outs to Kataang4eve and Avatar Roxas for consistently reviewing every single chapter I post. It means a lot when people enjoy this enough to tell me each time I post.

Secondly -while I do have a large, overarching plot that will start revealing itself next chapter -I'm always open to ideas. If there's a specific thing you'd like to see, or a scene you think would be cool to insert, feel free to either leave it in a review or if you're uncomfortable with that, in a PM. While I might not use it in the next chapter, if I can, I'll try to put it in. Oh, also, next chapter -which is half written already, so maybe tomorrow or Tuesday -is Sukki and Sokka's point of view.

* * *

"Katara."

Katara looked up from the herbs she'd been working on identifying (Yugoda insisted she be able to identify them by sight, and scent despite her Water abilities), and stared quizzically at the older woman.

"Yes?"

"We have work," The wizened, hunched over little woman said sadly, and Katara was shocked to see the faint glimmer of tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Yugoda? What's wrong?"

The woman ignored her, and Katara's attention was drawn to the man three guards unceremoniously dragged in, and set on the healing mat. Katara frowned –why was Yugoda so upset, it wasn't like this was a rare occurrence –when the older woman lay a hand gently on her arm.

"No, child. I'm to take care of him. You've been summoned to the Gallery Courtyard."

A growing sense of unease kept building in Katara's stomach at the woman's sad, almost heart-broken tone. "Why? What's the 'Gallery Courtyard'? What am I supposed to do?"

"You'll fix the boy as best you can when they're done with him," She said obliquely, before her gaze turned hard. "Remember, Katara: anything you say will only make it worse. Not just on you, but they can make his life _far_ worse than it already is. Remember the kindness he did you, and don't look away; don't argue, or cry, or fight it. Stand, watch, and heal when it's finished. Can you promise me, child? Promise me!"

Her nails dug into Katara's arm like claws, her voice low, but full of intensity, the grip tightening until Katara finally nodded, the lump in her throat keeping her from speaking.

Yugoda released her, and turned towards the guards with a respectful bow. "I apologize, but my apprentice is new, and hasn't had much chance to learn the grounds. Perhaps you could show her the way to the Gallery Courtyard?"

One of the guards nodded, and motioned for Katara to follow him. After picking up the bag of herbs, she followed silently.

The place they lead her to looked less like a courtyard, and more like an outdoor theater. Glancing up at the balcony, she could see The Family sitting there, while the slaves piled around the raised, circular platform.

It was what was on top _of_ the platform that made her stop dead in her tracks, Yugoda's words slamming home like a kick in her chest. Bound between two low posts, Zuko knelt, his arms stretched out and tied at the wrist to keep him from moving. His eyes were closed, but his lips moved as if he was reciting something to himself.

Tui, give me strength, La grant me courage, the only coherent thoughts she was capable of.

The guard at her side made a noise of sympathy, and gently pushed her forward with his shoulder. "Your place is at the top. There's stairs around the other side. Remember what Yugoda told you."

As if in a dream, Katara slowly made her way around, the other slaves moving out of her way in a wave to make a path that opened and closed as quickly as she moved through, struggling to keep her pace even, and her face empty as she climbed up the stairs.

Once at the top, she situated herself just to the side of the post, and looked up to the balcony.

As soon as she was in position, Ozai stood, his cold, rattle-hawk-like gaze encompassing the assembled slaves.

"There are few rules for my gladiators," He began, his voice almost melodic sounding as he spoke. "But first among them is that we do not raise a hand to a fellow gladiator in anger. Even while training, we are careful to leave our brethren unharmed.

"But today, that rule has been grievously broken. Zuko attacked a fellow gladiator, leaving him severely wounded –perhaps even unable to participate in the Water Nation games as he was supposed to.

"For his transgression, I hereby sentence him to seventy five lashes."

* * *

From her position –slightly to the left, and just behind Master Ozai –Mai could see the stunned faces of the slaves below the balcony. Fifty lashes had brought stronger, older men to their knees screaming for mercy; seventy-five was practically unheard of. But while she felt a stab of horror at Ozai's words, she kept her face as neutral as possible, cutting her eyes to the right.

Lady Ursa looked just as horrified as Mai felt, and Mai had a brief moment of sympathy. Ozai probably hadn't told her who was to punished, if he'd even told her it was to _be_ a punishment. Ursa had avoided the slaves –and the gladiators in particular –for as long as Mai could remember, since even before Mai had been sold to the family in repayment for her family's debt.

But every once in a while, Ozai would insist that the Lady witness a punishment, or duel. Usually when Zuko was involved, but occasionally, he'd drag her along to watch some of the younger gladiators –still in training – fight, knowing how she hated watching the children duel.

It seemed he was being particularly cruel today though, to make her watch this.

Struggling to keep the desperation off her face, she leaned forward, bending her head towards Ozai.

"Master Ozai, if I may, Zuko is scheduled for the Championship game in the Water Nation; the Water Tribe might not take kindly to paying for a half-dead gladiator to fight in their games."

She prayed to Agni –who she had never really believed in –that her face didn't even twitch, as Ozai glanced at her sharply, his eyes searching her own.

For a moment, she thought she'd won, as Ozai clearly considered her words. But after a few seconds, he shook his head, and snapped his fingers.

She wanted to look away. Wanted to close her eyes, and close her ears. But she knew that would only make it worse.

So as the whip with bits of bone sewn into the end bit into Zuko's back, she forced herself to watch. She forced herself to listen to his grunts, that quickly turned into moans, and then to screams as blow after blow bit into his back.

And she listened to the deathly silence that followed, and she had the brief thought that the silence was, perhaps, the worst sound she'd ever heard.


	7. Saints We See Are All Made Of Gold

A/N: Sorry for not getting this up last night like I said, but family issues kept me pretty busy. Special shoutouts to Avatar Roxa, Kataang4eve, SilberfuchsII and BlueBoltKatana for reviewing.

* * *

Sukki stood over in the corner. She'd learned by then to wait until called upon; she'd almost gotten caught a few times because of her eagerness.

Lady Ursa had left the Gallery Courtyard as soon as it was finished, and went straight to her rooms, gracefully seating herself in her chair, her chin resting on her fist.

That'd been an hour ago, and she had yet to move.

Most of the other slaves were doing the same as Sukki, making themselves relatively scarce, while still staying in the vicinity in case they were needed.

Her mind had started to wander a bit, when Ursa's sharp voice pulled her back to herself.

"Sukki. Come here."

Surprised by her tone –Ursa rarely spoke in anything but soft, neutral tones –Sukki stepped forward, going into a well-practiced kneel at her feet, remaining silent.

"The rest of you: get out."

Sukki raised her eyes just enough to watch the other slaves filter out of the room as quick as they could at a walk, trying to keep her surprise hidden. Ursa had kind to her, but had paid her little attention beyond her duties.

"Sukki… You haven't been here long."

Unsure of whether or not she was supposed to respond, Sukki kept silent, and kept her head bowed.

"Perhaps, a short enough time that you are not yet entirely in my husband's grasp. I have a favor to ask of you."

Finally, Sukki looked up, keeping the curiosity off her face, filing away the information – _perhaps_ _Ursa wasn't as cowed and docile as she seemed_ –for later use.

"Command, and I will obey, my lady," Sukki said softly.

"In my bureau, third drawer down, you will find a small coin pouch. I want you to take five gold pieces, and go to the market. You'll find a letter in the bottom drawer granting you permission to leave the grounds, and buy things in my name. At the market, I want you to buy brandy, a few small fruit cakes, and two books. Tell the book keeper that you're there for me; he'll know which books to give you. Afterwards, take them to the healer's rooms; I want you to assist the new Water girl in any way she needs until she no longer needs you. Do you understand?"

Sukki nodded, repeating the orders back in shortened form, before scuttling off to the dresser, and grabbing the money and the note.

As her hand brushed the doorknob, Ursa's voice stopped her.

"Remember, Sukki: Master Ozai _must not know_. Tell anyone who asks that the goods are for me. And remember: if your true purpose is discovered, it will be the Champion who will pay the price. You must promise me that you won't let anyone know what you're doing."

Sukki bowed her head again, keeping her eyes low. "I promise, Lady."

As she walked out of the room, she kept her posture bent – _broken_ –as she moved down the hall, but her thoughts were racing.

Perhaps it was more than rumor that Zuko was the son of a noble house. Ursa's actions would be ridiculous if one viewed the boy as just another gladiator in her husband's house. But if he was, that information could be incredibly useful. She'd been ordered to befriend the Scarred Dragon –and the Dragon of the West, if possible –but as of yet, she'd had little luck in managing any free time to go into the ludis. Between Ursa's orders to help care for the boy, and her newfound information…

Perhaps she wouldn't have to keep the façade going much longer.

The thought nearly put a bounce in her step, before she remembered where she was.

* * *

It was sheer, dumb luck that Ozai had picked Sokka out to carry Zuko back to the healer's room. In fact, it had taken Sokka a few seconds to realize that Ozai was actually talking to _him_.

It had been Katara's less-than-gentle nudge that had gotten him moving, untying the unconscious figure's wrists, and wrapping one arm around his shoulder as best he could, before slowly following Katara.

He tried to be as gentle as he could; he could feel the blood seeping into his uniform, and glancing behind him, he could see the trail of droplets they were leaving in their wake, but by himself, there was only so much he could do and still move. Every once in a while, the unconscious Champion would moan quietly, but for the most part, their little procession was quiet other than their footsteps as Katara lead the way to the healer's rooms. Once inside, Katara quickly took charge.

"Lay him down on the table –on his belly, not his back! Geez, you'd think Mom had dropped you on your head!"

Despite the severity of the situation –and the blood still leaking all over his hands as he lay Zuko down –he couldn't help his chuckle. It was just so Katara.

And after nearly a month of not seeing his sister, finding her so… so _herself_ … was beyond anything he could hope for.

She frowned at him across the table, before devoting her full attention to the boy on the table, her frown only deepening.

"This… this is bad, Sokka," She said after a moment, Bending Water from a nearby bowl, and moving it towards Zuko's still body.

For as long as he could remember, he'd loved watching Katara Bend. While it had scared him –everyone lived in fear of their loved ones being carted off as slaves to fight and die in the arenas –it was easily the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Moving her hands just so, she created a round, almost bowl shape out of the water, setting it on Zuko's back, seconds before tendrils split off from the bowl, tracing along the ripped, bloody wounds.

He could see the sweat on her forehead as she concentrated, the mental strain of controlling the dozens of small tendrils clearly requiring a massive amount of effort. After a few moments, she stopped, panting heavily.

"I've stopped the bleeding. Repaired most of the muscle and tissue damage," She panted, falling into a chair in the corner. "I can't do anymore. Not yet."

"Is… is he gonna make it?" Sokka asked quietly, glancing at the boy, and then back at his sister.

He wasn't foolish; he knew what Zuko had done, first for him, and then for Katara. If Zuko hadn't stopped him that first day, it could just as easily be Katara laying on the table, bloody and broken.

But she wouldn't have survived in the arenas either; she hated violence, and had always insisted that her Bending was meant for healing. For helping others. The gladiator Sifu Iroh –a peculiar old man, with a really weird tea addiction –had told him how Zuko had been the one to have Katara placed with Yugoda as an apprentice healer. For that, he owed the Champion a debt he'd probably never be able to repay.

But at least, this was a step in the right direction, he figured. Helping take care of him –however small, and inconsequential Sokka's actions were –had to count for something.


	8. Breaking In, Shaping Up

A/N: Alright, firstly guys, I'm very sorry about the delay here. I broke my arm on Thursday, so it's taking me A LOT longer to type than I'm used to. I've gone from 110 WPM down to about... twenty. It's depressing. But on that note, while I have this stupid cast on, there's going to be at least three to four days inbetween updates, as it takes that long for me to type it up. Sorry.

* * *

Katara took a deep breath, settling herself back in her chair. She waved off Sokka's attempts to –literally –shove a fire-plum in her mouth, rubbing her forehead with her other hand.

"Sokka, stop," She said, trying to put some of her normal bite in her word, but failing miserably.

She'd spent three days trying to heal Zuko, realizing the day after her initial healing that the damage had went deeper than she thought. So she'd had to reopen the somewhat-healed flesh to try and repair the shredded tendons and muscles. The reopening had caused an infection, not to mentioned done as-of-yet an unknown amount of damage to the skin. So for three days, she'd worked her best Water Bending healing, working herself to the edge of exhaustion and past.

And for three days, Sokka had treated her as if she was a helpless infant –which wouldn't have been bad if Sokka knew anything about infants. He was constantly trying to shove food and water down her throat, trying to force her to take naps, setting chairs directly in her way so she could 'rest'… It'd been a nightmare.

Luckily, one of the house slaves had been assigned to help her, and was –for the most part –keeping Sokka occupied.

Speaking of…

"Sokka, we're running out of fresh fruit. Perhaps you should inform the cook, and see if he can scavenge some for us? I'm sure Katara would appreciate it," The red-haired slave said, giving Katara a small smile.

Sokka jumped up. "Yeah, of course! Katara, will you be alright 'till I get back?"

"I'll be fine, Sokka. If I need anything, I'm sure Sukki can help."

Sukki nodded, and gently –but forcefully –pushed Sokka out the door. As soon as he was gone, Katara leaned back in her chair with a relieved sigh.

"Thank you," She said gratefully. "I know he means well."

Sukki gave her a small smile, handing her a small glass of tea. "I know. He's… sweet. You grew up in the Southern Water Tribe?"

Katara nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. It's just… so different from all this. There were only about five hundred people in our village. And our 'walls' were literally made out of packed ice and snow. I think every hut in our village would fit in this compound."

Sukki smiled as she sat down with her own tea cup. "I know the feeling. I grew up on Kyoshi Island –not too far from your village, actually. There were about a thousand of us there. My first time in a city… I'm afraid I probably looked slow in the head, my mouth hung open so much."

Both girls chuckled, before Katara glanced over at the still form lying on the table.

"I… Is this sort of thing… I mean, does it… Does it happen… often?" She asked haltingly, not really sure she wanted an answer. Physically, the strain was bad enough; emotionally, trying to put Zuko back together…

She wasn't sure she could handle that sort of… _thing_ … on a regular basis.

Sukki sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Well… It's not uncommon," She said slowly, sparing a glance at Zuko. "But… What Ozai did was extreme. But everyone knows, House Sozin has always been particularly hard on their slaves –since the founding of the house, according to rumo –" She cut off sharply, turning her head towards the door. Katara glanced at her curiously, but the girl said nothing.

Until a few seconds later, when the door slowly opened, and the little Earth Bending girl peeked her head inside.

"I uh… I wanted to… I just figured I should…" The girl paused for a few seconds, scratching her foot against the ground in agitation, before blurting out, "I just wanted to make sure Sparky was doing okay."

Katara smiled as gently as she could. "He'll be fine," She said, far more confidently than she felt. "He's doing good."

The girl nodded, biting her lip, and then darted back out of the room.

* * *

Iroh sighed as he dismounted his ostrich horse. Ozai had sent him to Capital City to inspect the competition, as he usually did towards the fall, but he was growing older, and his bones ached and creaked as he made his way towards the main house.

Mai met him at the door, bowing her head, and motioning him inside.

"Mai!" He said grandly, giving her a smile. "It does these old joints wonder to see such beauty."

She leaned over, and looped her arm through his. "Then let me help you, Sifu," She said, her monotone voice carrying a slight edge.

Iroh leaned on her, knowing the girl could hold some of his considerable weight. "What is it?" He mumbled, still smiling.

"When you're finished with the Master, you should go to the Healer's rooms," Mai said quietly, her voice little more than a whisper, and her lips hardly moving. "He'll live," She added, seeing the panic on his face, her voice almost careless. "But the Water girl doesn't know how bad the damage is yet."

"When? What happened?"

Mai shrugged as they stopped just outside Ozai's office. "I'm not sure. You're better off talking to the healer. I hope your trip was profitable, Sifu Iroh," She said, her voice returning to its usual volume. "Let me know if there's anything you need."

Iroh forced himself to bow back, his mind racing as he entered the office.

There were a million things that Zuko could have done to incur Ozai's wrath; many of them were minor infractions, things that most of the slaves could bend, or break, that Ozai would punish the Champion for. But it must have been serious if Ozai had done enough damage that the healers were concerned, especially so close to the Water Championships.

As he began his recitation of the other Benders, his mind couldn't let go of the Championships. Ozai couldn't very well pull Zuko from them; nothing short of death would be acceptable to Chief Arnook, who had paid Ozai handsomely to have the Scarred Dragon –Champion of Capital City, and _Guanjun_ of Ba Sing Se –in his games. But if the healers _still_ weren't sure of how badly the boy was injured, there was no way he would be at even half his usual skill in three weeks' time.

Would Ozai really sacrifice Zuko in some vain, petty fit? The boy drew the crowds; he'd brought House Sozin more money than the other Benders combined. But Iroh could think of little else that could have triggered such an extreme reaction in Ozai.


	9. Tear Yourself Apart

A/N: Alrighty guys, so this is a bit shorter than usual, but I figured I packed enough angst in to make up for it. Special shout-outs to: Avatar Roxas, frostystuffs, and Sara Snow for reviewing, and special mentions to everyone who's added this to their favorites, or update list or whatever. I appreciates it.

Also, an FYI: Azula and Ty Lee will be popping up, hopefully next chapter (if I can reign in the plot bunnies), or the one after that.

* * *

Iroh stepped into the backroom of the Healer's quarters, struggling to keep a tight lid on his temper, as he looked at the too-still form lying on the table, shredded back laid bare for the world to see.

Katara –the new healer –was standing to the side of the table, hands held out in front of her, eyes tight, but determined. It took Iroh a few seconds to realize what she was doing.

 _She had planted herself in-between him and Zuko; she had taken up something that Iroh was almost positive was supposed to be something like a basic Water Whip stance, blue eyes flashing dangerously. She was fully prepared to take on the Dragon of the West, thinking his anger was directed at the boy._

He forced a gentle smile to his face, trying to ease some of the tension oozing from his body. "I mean the boy no harm, Katara. Zuko is like a son to me."

The girl frowned, but took a step to the side. "If you try to hurt him…"

Her voice trailed off, leaving the threat unspoken, but the smile those words brought to Iroh's face was real as he laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I am glad to know that he has a champion in you," He said softly, before turning his gaze to Zuko. "How is he?"

The girl hesitated, before stepping back up to the table, her voice taking on a clinical tone, although an undercurrent of anger was just detectable below the surface.

"The damage was… severe. In my initial healing, I misjudged just how deep the damage was. When I reopened the wounds to repair the damage to the deeper tissues, the skin became infected. I'm removing it bit by bit, but he's had a fever for almost three days now. I'm keeping him as cool as I can, but I can only remove so much at one time. It takes a lot to pull it out of the smaller muscles, and it can take me two or three hours to pull a few droplets out of just one muscle," She said, her tone turning slightly apologetic. "But I have to be careful; if I miss a muscle, and leave it infected… Some of these are so deep, if I miss it… it could get to his spine."

Iroh took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm as he set a hand on Zuko's head, ruffling the boy's long hair a bit.

"I'm… I'm sure you're doing your best, Katara. It's in the spirits' hands. Would you mind, perhaps, giving me a few moments alone with him? I promise, no harm will come to him."

Katara hesitated, before finally nodding. "Alright. You've got almost an hour before his next healing."

* * *

"Iroh?"

Iroh jumped up as quickly as his old bones would allow, dipping his head in a bow. "Lady Ursa."

"Please, Iroh… Not tonight," Ursa said quietly, moving around him. She moved around to Zuko's head, moving her hand hesitantly over his head, before pulling it back sharply.

He pursed his lips, nodding slightly. "As you wish," He said stiffly, sitting back down in his chair. "How many times have you been here?"

She smiled sadly, setting one well-manicured hand on the edge of the table. "This is the second time. My girl, Sukki, makes sure the coast is clear before I come."

The room lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, Iroh watching closely as Ursa repeatedly started to touch the boy, before pulling back as if her skin burned. Finally, unable to stand it anymore, he spoke.

"Bending isn't contagious, Ursa. If you wish to comfort him, comfort him. Otherwise, quit acting as if you'll catch something if you touch him."

Deep down, he _knew_ his words were unfair. He knew Ursa hadn't chose the life she lived, hadn't wanted any of this. Had as little choice in the matter as Iroh's own mother had had. But staring at the ruined remains of Zuko's back, he could feel fifty years of rage spilling out, uncontrollable in its hatred.

"You used to _hug_ him, Ursa. I watched you laugh with him, rolling a ball along the courtyard. Watched as you taught him to talk, to walk. You used to take him to the Midsummer festival every year, and buy him Peppered Candies. Do you remember that, Ursa? Remember what his favorite color was? His favorite book? Do you remember what his favorite game was? Do you even remember the boy he was, before your husband forced him to kill for sport?"

His voice grew harsher and harsher as he spoke, until he was practically spitting the words out, unable to control himself, unable to stop himself from lashing out at the poor woman. But when he finished, she turned her head away, speaking softly.

"I _do_ remember, Iroh. I remember singing him to sleep at night. Soothing him when his first tooth came in. I remember taking him to the pond, and feeding the turtle-ducks with him. Taking him to his first day of school. Teaching him how to lace his boots. How to paint. I remember it, Iroh.

"And I remember when Ozai dragged him away from me. I remember screaming myself hoarse, trying to get to him. Crying myself to sleep for months afterwards. I remember when Ozai made me watch his first match. I remember Ozai whispering in my ear exactly what he would do to him if I _didn't_ watch. I remember watching, the first time he took another human's life. It was an Earth Bender boy… Not much older than he was. Yuan was his name.

"And I remember watching, as that spark in his eye slowly died a bit more every match, shattering piece by little _Agni-forsaken_ piece as the crowds cheered his name, screaming in joy as he killed at their command.

"I remember everything, Iroh. And there are days when I wish I had the courage to kill him, and end his suffering."

With that, the Lady of House Sozin glided out of the room, her feet seemingly never touching the ground, leaving Iroh alone with his thoughts.


	10. Bigger Than My Body

A/N: Alright, so this chapter kind of... bounces around a bit, I guess, but I wanted to introduce Azula and Ty Lee, as well as a few other important things. Hope you enjoy it. : )

Oh, FYI, next chapter will focus on Toph.

* * *

Two Days Later

Iroh was drifting into sleep in the chair, unwilling to leave Zuko's side since he'd arrived. The boy's fever had broken just that morning, which Katara had guardedly said was a good sign. There was a long ways to go, but a good sign none the less. While a fever wasn't as sever for a Fire Bender as it was for most, prolonged fevers would affect them as much as anyone else.

He had sent the girl away to get some sleep; the poor thing was half dead on her feet from exhaustion, almost five days of non-stop Bending having finally taken their toll. Her brother had carried her into her room after she started swaying on her feet; honestly, Iroh wasn't sure if she'd even noticed when he carried her out.

So Iroh had taken up her guard spot, sending both the boy and Ursa's red-headed slave away (the girl who's green eyes missed nothing, he noticed), and settled into Katara's chair to try and get a light nap himself.

He was somewhere in-between awake and asleep, when he heard the low moan, instantly pulling him into awareness, and onto his feet.

"Wh… Ngh…"

Iroh was instantly at Zuko's side, hands going to the boy's side as he tried pushing himself up off his stomach.

"No, Zuko. You must remain still," Iroh said gently, pushing him back down.

"Wha… Iroh?" The boy squinted, his good eye pressed against the table, trying to locate him. Iroh moved into his line of sight, smiling at him gently.

"Yes, Zuko. It's me. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." While the response lacked any of its usual bite, the boy's gritted teeth made it obvious that he was still feeling a great deal of pain, which was hardly unexpected. His entire body was stiff as he slowly shrugged Iroh's hands off of him, pushing himself onto his side. "How long was I out?"

"Almost seven days. You shouldn't push yourself, Zuko," Iroh said warningly, trying to ignore the hurt of the boy shoving him away. "Your fever only broke this morning."

Zuko glared at him. "If I've… Ugh," He paused for a moment, his body twitching a bit, before continuing. "If I've been out… A week… That means I've only… got nineteen days… before the Games. I'm assuming… Ozai isn't going to… pull me so… I've got… nineteen days to… Ngh… get back in… fighting condition."

* * *

"Mai!"

Mai froze, feeling ice flowing into her veins at the voice behind her. Forcing her face into a mask of blankness, she turned, bowing.

"Yes, Lady Azula?"

Azula stood, arms folded across her chest, a deviant smile on her face. Her best friend, Ty Lee, stood behind her, hand tugging nervously at her braid, an apologetic look in her eyes.

"So… Is your boyfriend dead? I heard he caught an infection. Father said he'll probably end up dying. Poor little Zuzu," She said mockingly, moving behind Mai, and leaning in. "Do you think he learned his lesson this time? Or do you think maybe Father will have to do it again? Maybe a hundred lashes next time. Do you think Father would order it done if I asked? Would that get a frown on that _pretty_ little face of yours?"

"Azula, please," Ty Lee begged, taking a step forward. "We're going to be late for the play."

"Shut _up_ , Ty Lee," Azula barked, before turning her attention back to Mai. "So? Give me a… report, slave. How is my dear, sweet little Zuzu?"

Mai took a deep breath, before responding, "From what I've heard, he woke up a few hours ago. His fever broke this morning. The healers think he'll make a full recovery."

A pouty little frown appeared on the girl's lips for a few seconds, before she waved her hand absently. "Well, I'm sure he won't survive his fight. There's no way he'll be ready by the time the Water Championships roll around. He'll probably get smashed to bits, or drowned… or perhaps somebody will finish what Father started with his face?"

Mai could taste blood, her canine tooth biting into her lip, struggling to keep the words from spilling out as Azula laughed, and flounced away.

"I… I'm sorry, Mai," Ty Lee said quietly as she passed. "I… I miss you."

She was shocked by the girl's quick hug, and then she found herself alone in the hallway again.

* * *

Aang was meditating, having forgone dinner to have a few minutes of peace and quiet to himself, when he felt a hand tugging on him sharply.

Pushing himself back with a gust of Air, his eyes flung open, relaxing only a bit when he seen the red-haired girl he'd arrived with glaring at him.

"What gives?" He asked, somewhat irritably. That was probably his only chance at some quiet for the day, and she'd ruined it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She hissed, grabbing his arm, and pulling him close.

"What do you mean?" He asked, confused at the girl's anger. "I was just meditating, and –"

"Not that, you stupid boy! There's no way you 'accidentally' got caught! You're too young to leave the cities for the compounds, or on a hunting trip. Which means you intentionally broke your greatest rule, and went wandering," She hissed, leaning closer. "Which, in turn, means you're either incredibly stupid, or you intentionally wandered into an enemy city!"

Aang swallowed thickly, tongue stuck in his throat for a moment, before finally whispering, "I… I just wanted to… to see for myself, you know?"

"Foolish, stupid, idiotic boy!" She snapped, her nails digging into his arm. "Did you ever stop to think what you were putting in danger? What if they had tortured you, wanting to know where you came from? You would have told them everything! And all your family, your friends –your entire people –would've ended up no better than these other poor souls. An entire tribe enslaved because of your stupidity!"


	11. Vigorous And Angry

A/N: Alright, so this is... well, sort of filler, sort of character-development, sort of plot related lol. Hopefully you like. Special shout-outs to: frostystuffs, and Sara Snow for reviewing, thanks to everyone who reads/adds it to lists. Enjoy. : )

* * *

Mai sat, back ramrod straight, pen and a clip of paper in her hands, writing neatly and precisely as Ozai spoke.

"We need to schedule a visit to the outer farms soon, as well," He said thoughtfully, glancing at her previous notes –dating back months –on his desk. "What days do we have next week?"

She glanced down, flipping her papers up, to the last sheet, which was an itinerary. "I believe next Tuesday would be the only available day, Master; before that, Lady Azula has her music recital, Lady Ursa says she needs to get more clothing for the house slaves, as well as two appointments –one with Ambassador Ataneq, and one with our own Councilman Lin Fan. After, we have to start preparations and planning for the Water Games, particularly if you're still planning on taking all the gladiators thi –"

She cut off sharply, eyebrows nearly flying off her head in surprise as the door to Ozai's office burst open, the little Earth Bender girl flying into the room.

Ozai himself looked stunned stupid, unsure how to respond to this blatantly _wrong_ behavior, but the girl darted forward, throwing herself into the lowest bow Mai had ever seen without a person falling over.

"I'm really sorry, Master Lord Ozai, sir," The girl said breathlessly, glancing behind her. "I tried asking the guards how to talk to you, but nobody would answer me, and the house slaves ignored me…" She yelped a little bit, moving a bit closer to the desk as three Chi-Blockers rounded the corner, practically slamming into each other as they spotted the girl next to Ozai. "But I had to talk to you, it's really important!"

Mai waited, breath hitched in her throat, the Chi-Blockers doing the same, as they all waited for Ozai to make a move.

Finally, after what seemed like hours –but was probably only a few seconds –Ozai chuckled, waving the guards aside.

"Well, you show persistence, girl, I'll give you that. Now what is it that's so important?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, so I'm just gonna apologize, 'cause I usually never really talk to anyone who's not a Bender –"

The girl kept rattling on, leaving Mai struggling to keep the suspicious look off her face. She'd watched the girl –Toph –with Zuko before; she'd seen her interact with most everyone at various points. And the girl now standing before Ozai, prattling on, making herself sound like a child was a far cry from the girl who'd used Earth to encase one of the gladiators who shoved her. This babbling child wasn't the cocky, self-assured girl who walked the training rings as if she owned them. _So what exactly was she up to?_

"But I want to fight in the Water Championships. As Sifu Zuko's partner."

Instantly, Mai threw all her attention back to the conversation at hand, eyes narrowing further as she listened.

"You seem to have a rather... _high_... opinion of yourself, Toph of Omashu," Ozai said, his voice deceptively lazy and Mai instantly knew the girl was crossing into dangerous waters. "To think that I should put _you_ –a twelve year old, untried, untested Earth Bender with no pedigree –into a championship fight, with the current Champion?"

Toph jutted her chin out, head held high, holding her ground. "I'm the best Earth Bender you've got here –by a long shot, in a lotta cases. And I may be young, but I _can_ do math," She added with a wry grin.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

From his tone, Mai knew Ozai to be either supremely amused, or a split-second from calling for the headsman; knew he could easily go either way, and found herself cursing mentally.

"It means I _know_ what the odds are. The Scarred Dragon may be good; but there's no _way_ his back is gonna be healed right by the Games. Maybe seventy-five percent, maybe a bit more, but not a hundred percent. And _everyone_ there's gonna be gunning for the Champion. By himself, he's gonna be dead in minutes -if he lasts _that_ long. But if you put me with him? You've got yourself a show-stopper.

"Think about it: he wins, and he did it all, with a rookie as his partner. He loses, and it's not really his fault –he had a rookie holding him back. Best case scenario, you get to keep your Champion alive, and get my name out there, bringing in more offers. Worst case: you lose me, and the whopping two whole gold pieces you spent on me. It's a win/win for everybody."

Ozai's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward, chin in his hands. "Except for you, it would seem. I get money, my champion, and perhaps another champion. Zuko gets to live to recover and fight another day. What do you get out of it?"

The girl tilted her head, a quizzical look on her face. "I… I get to fight, Master Ozai?" She said in confusion. "What else would I want?"

"Really? You want for nothing? You could ask for special privileges, extra rations, toys, books, visiting privileges… But you want nothing," He said skeptically.

"I can't read, I get enough to eat, I don't play with toys, and what privileges would I need? I… I live to fight, Master Ozai. I don't care about dolls or dresses, or… or anything like that. I like the _excitement_. I like knowing that it's the ultimate challenge of who's better," She said, and Mai could hear the savagery in her voice as she spoke. "Whenever I walked into the Pits in Omashu, the crowds would scream _my_ name. Me: the unwanted, unnamed blind kid thrown in a dumpster at birth. And when I smash men five times my size to little pieces, crushing their bones into dust… it's just me and him out there. Battling to see who's better. Who's the strongest. Who gets to survive. It's like… it's like…" She struggled to find the words for a few more seconds, before finally shrugging. "I can't describe it, but after that? Books, toys, and boys just don't compare."

Silence hung heavy in the room for a few minutes, before Ozai laughed, his whole body shaking in mirth. Mai watched in stunned silence; she had never actually seen Ozai laugh in anything but cruelty before.

"I… I _like_ you, Toph of Omashu," He said breathlessly after a few minutes. "A gladiator like you… The champion you could _be_ some day. I'll grant your request, girl. You may fight with Zuko, although the boy won't like it."

"He doesn't have to," Toph said, a sly smile on her face. "As you order, we obey."

Ozai smiled, reaching out, and shaking the girl's hand. "So you do, Toph. So you do."


	12. Burning In My Skin

A/N: Again, sorry for the delay. Birthday parties, football practice, on top of the busted arm, and my day is packed lol. Anyways... A few things I wanted to address:

1\. There will be another Aang chapter coming up next, along with MAIKO! Finally! Anyways...

2\. I know there are some characters I'm overly focusing on, and others who are only getting brief spotlights. Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to get them all shoved in, with such a large cast of characters. As this was originally intended as a Zuko story, he is taking predominant priority. That being said, the next few chapter orders should (hopefully) look something like...

Aang, with Iroh, and Mai and Zuko (with a bit of Katara)

Iroh and Toph, and Iroh and Zuko

Water Championship, with a little bit of everybody thrown in.

* * *

Toph took a deep breath, practically falling against the pillar outside of the main house, her heart hammering in her chest. She'd known she was walking a thin line with Ozai; known she was a hair's breathe away from getting a whipping herself –or worse, getting Zuko another beating. Not to mention, having a Master's individual attention on you was about the worst thing imaginable for a slave; Toph had heard horror stories from some of the other Benders in the Pits of what happened when Masters took a… _personal_ … interest in slaves. It almost never ended well.

But it'd been worth the risk. She'd stopped in a few times to see how Zuko was doing; she knew it was wishful thinking that he'd be at even _fifty_ percent of his normal speed. There was no way he'd survive in the arena on his own, especially with the 'Champion' target on his back. He'd be lucky if he could even walk upright at the games, much less put up a decent fight.

She'd studied him, during their training sessions, and she'd gotten to watch him the few times he'd been in Ba Sing Se for The Games. He was a strong Fire Bender, and no one could argue that. But what made him a great gladiator was his speed, his agility, and his ruthlessness.

With two of the three out of commission, she highly doubted he'd be able to muster up any of his normal viciousness in the arena.

She released the breath, shaking her shoulders, and putting on her game face as she marched through the house, unable to resist sticking her tongue out at the Chi-Blockers as she walked past, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

She _knew_ she was good. She wasn't exaggerating when she said she was easily the best Earth Bender in the House. But Zuko was still working with her, trying to get her more comfortable with non-stone arenas. While they'd tested, and found out she could still 'see' on ice, it wasn't nearly as clear as stone, putting her at a big disadvantage. Add that to the fact that she was still adjusting to fighting Fire Benders –there had only been one in the Pits, who was half-vicious, half-stupid and no real threat –and she wasn't entirely sure she'd walk out of the North Pole again.

She couldn't help the grin that came to her face as she meandered through the Slaves' Courtyard. Even if she didn't survive… It'd be a hell of a fight. And the chance to fight side by side with the Scarred Dragon was just the icing on the cake.

* * *

Katara was half-asleep, arm tucked under her head, laying on her side, the cricket-bees and owl-pigeons lulling her off, when she heard the noise. It took her a moment to pull herself fully awake, rubbing at her eyes, realizing slowly that the noise was coming from the infirmary.

As soon as the thought fully clicked in her still-fuzzy mind, she shot up, tripping over a snoring Sokka in her haste to get to her patient.

The embers were still glowing dimly in the hearth, casting an eerie, dark red glow around the room, lighting it just enough that she could see Zuko. His back towards her, he leaned against the wall near the fireplace, his head resting against his crossed arms, shoulders wracked with silent sobs. Even as Katara watched, she heard the cry threatening to break free, creating the choked-off noise that had woken her.

"Zuko?" She asked quietly, stepping fully into the room. "Are… are you alright?"

When he didn't respond –when he didn't even move –she slowly moved over next to him, laying her hand on his shoulder gently. To her surprise, he yanked away sharply, whole body shaking.

"Don't touch me," He said brokenly, shoulder against the wall, turning away from her as he slid to the floor. "Don't… Don't…" His voice trailed off, his lips still moving, but no sound escaping.

Unsure what else to do, she moved around in front of him, kneeling down, making sure to give him plenty of space as she tried to catch his eye. But he steadfastly refused to meet her gaze, ducking his head against his chest, chest heaving as he tried to suck in a breath, body shaking.

"Zuko, do you hurt?" She asked quietly. "Are you in pain?" She frowned at the barked, cruel laugh.

* * *

Zuko couldn't help the sharp laugh, forcing its way out of his throat despite his attempts. Was he in pain? What a stupid question.

He'd managed to wrench himself awake from his nightmare – _of blood, pain, hands, chains, and whips_ –struggling to breath, unsure of where he was. Unsure of who was with him. Finding himself completely and utterly alone on the healer's table had only made it worse.

 _He had no one_. No one to chase away the monsters of his mind, to hold him while he cried. No one to lie, and tell him it was all going to be okay. No one to lean on, to offer support. He had to keep up the front –strong, resilient Champion, youngest Champion in history, so much potential, so valuable, so, so, so…

He began laughing manically, unable to stop himself.

Was he in pain?

Yeah. And his back was the least of it.

* * *

Ursa bit her hand hard enough that she could taste the blood trickling into the back of her throat as she listened to Zuko – _listened to her_ _son_ –sob, and finally listened to his hysterical laughter.

She hadn't realized he was awake; she'd been coming down to visit –probably for the last time –sneaking out in the dead of night, only to spot him leaning against the wall, shuddering.

As she turned, silently making her way back up to the house, she could feel her heart ripping itself in two. Part of her wanted to run to him; wanted to hold him tight, and never let go. But not only did she know that Ozai would punish him for her actions, she wasn't sure if he'd even want her. He'd ignored her, amber-gold eyes sliding by her –as if she didn't exist –every time he saw her, making her think that he would probably burn her to a crisp if she actually tried showing him affection.

The other part of her –a part she tried burying, tried denying, that was growing louder –said there was only one real thing she could do to end the boy's misery, if she had the guts to do it. If she could look her son, her first-born, in the eye, and kill him. Take him out of Ozai's reach forever, giving the boy something like peace, if the Priests were to be believed.

As she ascended the steps leading to the Main House, she froze for a moment, spotting a solitary figure moving towards her, before recognizing the twin buns, and long, flowing strands draped over her shoulders.

Mai never stopped, simply giving Ursa a tight, knowing smile, and a duck of the head as she passed, moving quieter than Ursa could ever hope to, moving over the leaves of the gardens without a sound, moving towards the Healer's Rooms.


	13. You Can't Wake Up, This Is Not A Dream

A/N: Alright, kiddies, so this chapter deals with some dark stuff. Obviously, I've hinted, and implied, and all, but this chapter still delves into some dark places. So be warned. Also, going to try and do a brief, short little chapter later tonight (if things work well) on Aang and Sukki -it doesn't really 'fit in' with the other chapters I have planned, as far as flow and all that, so I'll post it by itself, again, short, maybe 500 words. But I figure I've kept you guys hanging a while on that particular cookie crumb, I should probably give you something.

* * *

Mai slipped silently into the room, watching the Water Girl struggle with what to do as Zuko broke apart. Waiting as patiently as she could –which was impressive, giving the circumstances –Mai kept quiet as the girl kept trying –uselessly –to help without touching him, which sent him into shakes every time she tried.

Finally, she took a step forward, letting her foot hit the creaking floorboard slat just to the left of the entrance, giving the girl a laconic smile as the healer jerked her head around, mouth dropping in surprise.

"If you don't want to send him straight into a heart attack, you should probably just go back to bed," She said lazily, taking another step forward, and folding her arms over her chest. "I'll deal with him."

The girl stood, face angry as she stomped over, glaring up at Mai –who easily towered over her by half a foot.

"Oh, really? And just how are _you_ going to help him?" She demanded. "You don't know anything about healing, or –"

"And you know _nothing_ about being a slave," Mai shot back, venom dripping from her words. "You think that because you've seen a few bad punishments, that you _understand_ what we go through? You know _nothing_ , girl. But you will."

Moving quicker than the girl could follow, Mai moved, pressing her up against the wall, pinning her arms to her side, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"You don't know what it's like to be beaten on a whim –because somebody else made your master angry, but they can't take it out on _them_. You don't know what it's like, living your life knowing that –at any moment, for any reason or none at all –it can be snuffed out. You don't know the pain of being whipped until you lose consciousness, simply because it _amused_ someone. And you don't know what it's like to be passed around like a plaything as the night's entertainment. But trust me: you will, eventually. You might be a little dark for Ozai's tastes –he likes dark hair, and pale skin –but _somebody_ will spot you. Somebody will _want_ you. And when that happens, Water Girl… Then you'll truly understand what it is to be a slave."

Her lips curled in disgust, as she looked at the tears running down the girl's face, and her quivering mouth, and she released her roughly.

"Go on," She said bitterly. "Get out of here. You can do nothing for him."

The girl ran out of the room, and Mai took a few deep breathes, searching for the mask of nothingness that had become her armor, as she slowly sat down next to Zuko, careful not to touch him. After a few moments, his breathing began to steady, and he finally looked up at her, although even then, he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I can't do it anymore, Mai," He said quietly, his voice hoarse and broken. "I can't. I'm just… I'm so _tired_. I don't know if… I just can't."

Sighing sadly, she scooted a bit closer, until only a hair's distance was in between them. "Yes, you can," She said softly. "And you will."

"Why?" His voice instantly turned a mixture of anger and hopelessness. "Why should I? You think anything is ever going to _change_? You think we'll ever be free? You think Ozai will ever stop? _Nothing's_ going to change, Mai! At least… Not for me," He finished, his voice taking a quieter tone. "At least with you, eventually you know you'll get too old for him. He'll move on. But even when he grows tired of me, I'll still have to fight. Until somebody kills me, or I die of old age. It'll never stop."

* * *

Aang frowned, glaring at the practicing Benders, a tight frown on his face. Giving the child's usually cheerful, upbeat attitude –towards everybody and everything –Iroh assumed it wasn't actually the Benders causing the boy's irritation.

"What is it that troubles you, child?" He asked, sitting back, and sipping his tea.

The boy startled a bit, turning to look at Iroh. "Nothing, Sifu," He said quickly. Too quickly.

Iroh chuckled. "I can't force you to tell me, Aang. But remember: anger let fester soon turns to a mortal wound."

The boy bit his lip for a few minutes, staring back out at the Benders, before finally turning his attention to Iroh.

"Sifu… I…" He stopped, clearly hesitating for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "Nothing. It doesn't matter."

"Obviously it does," Iroh said simply, offering him a cup of tea. "Tell me what troubles you; perhaps, we can solve it together."

"Do you think what happened to Zuko is my fault?"

Iroh set his cup down, and stared at the boy intently. No one had told Iroh exactly what had led to his nephew's punishment; most didn't know, and the few who did wouldn't speak of it, whether for fear of Ozai, or something else.

"Why would you think that, Aang?" He asked gently.

"I… It was stupid. I don't even really know… I mean… One minute, I was just trying to get him to talk to me, and then Zhao came over, and it just… It all happened so _fast_ , you know?" Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but Aang continued over him, as if he wasn't expecting an answer. "I just wanted to… I'd heard about him, you know? But he wasn't… he wasn't what I… I just wanted to _talk_ to him, and then Zhao started talking, and he wasn't making any sense, but Zuko just kept getting angrier and angrier, and then…"

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, looking back out at the practicing Benders again, biting his lip. "I knew… I knew what the Games were. I knew what they meant. But… I read in books, when I was young, that Air Benders were non-violent, fighting only to protect themselves or others as a last resort. And I tried to live by that, you know? But… If those guards hadn't stepped in… Zuko was going to _kill_ him. I could see it in his eyes; he didn't care what was gonna happen to him, he was going to kill him. I'd never known that type of… That type of _hate_ before," He said, his voice going quiet. "I don't know what Zhao was talking about, or what he meant, but… It must have been bad, right? I mean, he wouldn't just…"

Iroh sighed, understanding what the child was trying very hard not to say. "Aang… Most of those Benders you see out there don't enjoy killing. Most of them don't want to kill, or even hurt, anyone. But this is the world we live in, and such is our lot in life.

"That being said… I can't tell you what you will be like, in two years, in five years, or ten years. While Zuko was never as… _enthusiastic_ … as you, he had a kind heart, once. Mischievous, but caring. He loved animals, in particular. But he was put into the arena too young; took too many lives, saw too much blood, and too many friends die at too young an age. And that sort of thing… It scars _older_ men, Aang. Leaves them with nightmares, and other mental issues you can't fathom. So I want you to think what it did to a young boy, sent to kill a boy he considered a friend, at only thirteen.

"But, despite all of that… No, Zuko is not some blood thirsty monster, Aang. Whatever Zhao said to him, however Zuko reacted… I'm sure he had a good reason. Zuko may be a tad… defiant… but he was never stupid. He would not have risked so much on something that meant nothing."


	14. It's Getting Harder And Harder To See

A/N: Firstly... I'm so sorry it took so long to get this out. I got home Friday afternoon, and a pipe had burst under my house... Right under my desk. Had to move my desk, and bookcases, rip up the carpet, rip up the pad, let everything dry out, put everything back down, and move everything back. Pain in the ass. Nothing's gone right this week lol. But I tried to make this chapter a bit longer to make up for it. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Aang was drifting off, the snoring from the other cells lulling him to sleep, when he heard a creak. Frowning, he rolled over, squeezing his eyes shut, intent on going back to sleep. Iroh had been pushing him hard, putting in twelve to fourteen hours a day, leaving the Air Bender exhausted, falling into his bed, and fast asleep almost instantly most nights.

But the hand that grasped his shoulder pulled him awake, ripping him from pleasant dreams of flying with Appa.

Groggily, he rolled over again, rubbing at his eyes; the red-haired girl slowly coming into focus did nothing to improve his mood.

"What do _you_ want?" He grumbled. "Gonna yell at me some more?"

"I need your help, Aang."

Instantly, he sat up a bit straighter, exhaustion temporarily forgotten as he peered at her quizzically. "Help with what?" He asked eagerly.

Sukki sighed, shutting her eyes for a moment. "Firstly, you must promise me something, Aang. No matter what happens… No matter what they do… You can _never_ tell _anyone_ about me. Very, very few of your own people even know we exist; I doubt anyone outside of the Temples knows."

"Who's 'we'? Are you spies? I mean, obviously you know my people aren't extinct, so you've got something to do with the Masters, right?"

She hesitated for a moment, before shrugging. "I suppose 'spy' works as good as any, although I prefer to think of myself as an insurgent. And yes, the Masters' Council are the only ones of your people who know about us. We're called Kyoshi's Warriors. You've heard of Kyoshi, right?"

Aang nodded excitedly. "Of course! All Air Benders know of Kyoshi! She was the Earth Bender who saved hundreds of her people by causing an earthquake that ripped apart half the Earth Kingdom, giving them time to get to the Eastern Temple."

Sukki chuckled. "Well, not exactly half, but yes. After she reached the Temple with her people, she started training many of the young girls who couldn't bend, teaching them subterfuge, and subtlety. Over the years, we've gotten more refined, and our numbers have grown. We help free slaves, and get them to the temples afterwards. Occasionally, we'll hit a whole area, other times, one specific house."

"One ho – Oh." Instantly, Aang sobered up, the implications of what she was saying hitting him like a crashing sky bison.

"Yes, Aang. That's why I'm here. But my compatriot –we're never sent out in less than twos –was executed at the farms earlier this morning. And I can't pull this off by myself. And this _has_ to be done, Aang. Think about what it could do for the Benders, to have the Champion of all three nations free, and fighting for us. We could _finally_ come out in the open. No more hiding in the temples, no more being afraid of being captured, and sold. With the Scarred Dragon on our side, Aang, we might _actually_ have a chance of _winning_."

"You mean… like another revolution," He said slowly, his enthusiasm dropping quickly. "Master Gyatsu said we've never won; that all that happens is more lives are lost."

"Because we weren't ready before, Aang! This time, we're prepared. We've been building up. We've just been waiting for the right opportunity. If we –you and me –can pull this off… Aang, we can change the course of _history_! We've _never_ had a better time. And yes: a lot of people will die. There's no arguing that. But think of the lives we can _save_. Think of how many people will live _free_. Isn't that worth the cost? Think about the people you've met in your time here: Iroh, Sokka, Katara, Toph… Given the choice, what do you think they'd pick, Aang? A chance to die fighting for their freedom? Of their own choice? Or to continue to live as a slave for the rest of their lives?"

* * *

"Toph, do you have a moment?"

Toph stopped for a moment, letting the earthen rings settle back into place as she turned, and gave Iroh a bow. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

She could feel the frown in his words as he spoke. "I heard you talked to Master Ozai. That you will be fighting with Zuko at the Water games."

"Yup."

"You do realize how dangerous that is? I had hoped you wouldn't step into the arena for another year, or even two. Actually, I had talked to Master Ozai about it previously," The old man said quietly.

Sighing, Toph pulled two chunks of Earth up, shaping them into seat shapes, motioning for the Sifu to sit. "Look… No offense, or anything? I fought in the Pits of Omashu. Where there are no rules, and every match ends with someone dying. And I survived there for _two_ _years_. I know you people think because I'm little, or 'cause I'm blind that I'm not as good. But I am. I…" She felt through the Earth, checking for unwelcome listeners, before continuing, "I'm probably the most powerful Earth Bender in the Fire Nation. My issue isn't surviving the other gladiators; it's hiding what I am long enough that the Masters don't execute me," She said plainly. "So while I appreciate your concern, Sifu... I'm the only one here who has a chance of making sure Sifu Zuko walks back out of the Water Nation Arena. And that's worth a bit of risk."

Iroh sat down, leaning back in the 'chair' with a sigh. "It's not just your life, I worry for, Toph. I know you've fought before. I have seen the Pits of Omashu –and in other places –and I know how dangerous they are. But I fear for your youth. Despite what your previous Masters did, I don't think anyone should be in the arenas before adulthood. It's –"

"Please don't say traumatizing," Toph interrupted roughly. "I won over a _hundred_ matches in two years; if I was going to be traumatized, don't you think it would have happened already? I've literally got nothing to lose, and everything to gain by doing this. So I kill a few gladiators that I've never met; gladiators who want to kill me. Who cares? I do this, Zuko stays alive, I get my name out there, and Ozai will put me in more fights, making him more money. Everybody wins here."

Iroh shrugged. "I can't stop you, Toph. You've already gotten Master Ozai to agree. But I wish you wouldn't. Someday, all of this will come back to haunt you –if it doesn't already," He said with a knowing tone. "I've yet to see any gladiator who isn't at least somewhat troubled by nightmares. Who isn't at least somewhat traumatized."

"Including you?" Toph asked with a joking smile.

"Even me, young Toph. We all carry our stories; some of us just get to live them a while longer than others. Remember that. Thank you for the seat."

* * *

Iroh left the little Earth Bender slowly, heart heavy as he moved towards Zuko's private chambers. The girl had the talent, and skill, but…

He sighed. She was probably already lost. No respectable House would put such a young girl in a proper arena, much less the far more violent Pits –unlicensed fighting arenas were there were no rules, and spectators expected a bloody match. Zuko at thirteen had been one of the youngest in the arena; to put a ten year old in… He shuddered to think what damage had already been done to such a young mind, forced to cope with such horrors at such a young age.

His thoughts were pulled from the girl as he neared his nephew's room, hearing grunts of exertion as he drew closer.

"Zuko! What in Agni's name do you think you're doing?!" He demanded angrily, staring at the boy in disbelief. To his credit, Zuko at least had the good graces to look embarrassed, glancing over at the Water girl, who gave him a smug grin in return. The boy's eyes hardened, and he looked back to Iroh.

"I have to practice. I've got to get back into fighting shape. I told Katara I wouldn't push it, and I won't. But I'm not going to go to the Championship game fresh off the healer's mats," He said angrily. "I can't afford to. Not now."

"I told him it was a bad idea," Katara said smugly, folding her arms across her chest. "But hey, what do I know, right? I only spent two weeks bringing him back from death's door."

"Katara… Could you excuse us a moment? Please," Iroh added, giving the girl a low bow of his head. To her credit, the girl bowed back, casting one last satisfied look at Zuko before walking towards the healer's quarters.

"If this is going to be some sort of lecture… Don't," Zuko said shortly, sitting down on the bench outside his door. "Obviously I know better than to reinjure myself training. I've gotten enough injuries to know how to deal with them."

"But none this severe, Zuko," Iroh said softly, sitting down next to him. "And I wished to speak to you about that as well. What happened?"

Zuko turned his head away, looking over at a nearby fountain. "Nothing. It was stupid, and my fault. It doesn't matter."

"I'm sure it matters to Zhao; you burned away most of the flesh on his arm, and left side. He too only just recovered from his injures, except he isn't up and walking yet."

"Because he's not even half the gladiator I am," The boy said roughly. "And he knew what he was getting into. He's just angry that he can't even hope to be half as good as I am at half his age."

"But what started it?" Iroh pushed. "It isn't like you to lose your temper so easily, and you've never went after another gladiator outside of matches. And don't say 'nothing'," He added quickly. "You didn't take seventy-five lashes for 'nothing'."

"I said it doesn't matter, Iroh. Leave it alone."

The dangerous undercurrent in the boy's voice bit into Iroh's heart as he stood. "There are few people I care about in this world, Zuko. And you are one of them. Please, try to remember that next time 'nothing' happens. It would break my heart to watch you die."


	15. Raise You Like A Phoenix

A/N: Alright, so firstly, I apologize for the long wait, but I really wanted this to be perfect, and I struggled with the concept, and how it was written. But I finally got what I wanted out of it, and I hope y'all enjoy it. As well, it's the longest chapter so far, so... yeah, there's that.

WARNING: HEAVILY IMPLIED NON-CONSENSUAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.

So yeah. Yee have been warned.

* * *

"Nervous?"

Toph 'looked' over at Zuko, who was leaning against the wall, eyes half-closed, one leg extended in front of him, the other bent underneath him.

She shrugged. "I wouldn't say nervous. It's just… this is a lot bigger than the Pits."

He chuckled a bit, looping one arm around the bars of their cell. "Yeah. Listen: we didn't have a lot of time to go over everything; I know Iroh worked with you a bit, but with the Air Bender, he didn't have a lot of time either.

"Three key things to remember here: one, this isn't a slug fest brawl. There's always… scenarios, I guess you could call them. Goals. And they're usually in favor of the home team. Last year's match here was 'King of the Mountain' –except the mountain was made of ice. They'll tell us once the match starts.

"Secondly, remember that –unlike your Pits –before you kill a downed opponent, you need approval; either from the crowd, or the Magistrate. Heat of the moment's one thing; going for the kill shot without approval when you've got time to think is another."

"What's the third thing?" Toph asked when he paused.

"This is all just a game, Toph. It's about show, and entertainment. Make the crowd happy, and you buy yourself a chance at mercy if you need it. Make it look good. Make the crowd love you. That's the most important thing. You want to be the Champion someday? Take my 'crown'?" He asked with a small, almost teasing smile. "Then you need to learn to play the game. Earn the crowd's approval. This isn't the Pits where they just want a bloody, violent death. Out there?" He motioned with his head towards the arena. "They want a show. They want it drawn out. They want art. They want all of the violence with none of the brutality. All of the drama dragged out as long as possible. They want to watch you play with your kill."

Toph thought on that a moment, her feet vibrating with the earth at the roar of the crowd. She could hear them roaring in approval at something; what, she couldn't be sure, but that much energy probably meant somebody had bought the big one

From down the hall, she could hear the clattering, metallic sound of the guards moving towards them. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, stretching her neck from side to side until she heard a satisfying 'pop'.

"Guess that's us, huh?"

Zuko set a hand on her shoulder as he stood. "Yeah. Look… Don't do anything stupid out there, alright? Don't be a hero. Keep your head down, keep your distance, and watch my back. That's it. Nobody's asking you to die out there, especially not for me."

* * *

 _Sokka was contemplating how, exactly, he was supposed to fit his Chi-Guard armor in the small little bag they'd given him for the trip to the Water Nation, when the door to his little room opened._

 _He barely heard it; whoever it was, was silent enough to be a ghost. If not for the fact that he'd been on high alert for the past few weeks, he probably wouldn't have heard it._

 _His mind flew through the calculations without thought, happening in a split-second, allowing him to pinpoint how long it took the intruder to get behind him, and spinning around with a hay maker punch to the head._

 _But he pulled the blow at the last second._

" _Sukki?!" He hissed angrily. "The hell are you doing?! I could have killed you!"_

 _She scoffed quietly, a sardonic smile on her lips. "In your dreams, maybe," She whispered back. "I needed to talk to you."_

 _Heart still racing, Sokka sat down on the bed, trying to get his breathing under control. "About what?"_

 _She gazed at him quizzically for a moment, before sitting next to him. "You're a bit jumpy, Sokka," She said pointedly._

 _He released a large breath, feeling the weight of the last few weeks crashing into him. "You have no idea," He muttered, rubbing a hand over the bristles that now covered the once-shaved sides of his head. "It's been a rough couple of weeks."_

" _Anything I can help with?"_

" _No." The last thing he needed was someone –much less a girl –fighting his battles. "What did you need?"_

" _I… I need your help, Sokka."_

* * *

Mai watched as Zuko and Toph entered the arena, the crowd's roar growing ten-fold at the sight of the Champion, screaming his name.

If she hadn't seen them herself, she wouldn't have known he was injured. He carried himself in the same cocky, self-assured manner he always did in front of others, and Toph carried herself similarly. If attitude won fights, they would definitely be the victors.

The enthusiasm muted a bit as the home gladiators –two Water Benders, and an Earth Bender –walked in the opposite gate. But they quieted completely as the Magistrate stood, and held his hands up, indicating for silence.

"And now begins the final match of the day!" He said, his clear voice ringing through the arena. "One the one side, we have the twins, Ikiaq and Iluk, and Ushu! The three greatest gladiators in the Water Nation! And on the other side we have Zuko, Champion of Capital City, and _Guanjun_ of Ba Sing Se, and Toph of Omashu, a first-timer to our arenas!

"There will be no scenarios this year; we simply wished to show you the _true_ nature of what Bending is; the sheer, destructive powers of what it can do! This is what _they_ are! This…"

Mei filed away every word the man said, while simultaneously tuning him out. There must have been some sort of uprising in the Water provinces; usually, there was minimal talking during these matches. Magistrates, Chiefs, Game Masters… whatever name you put on them, a majority of them were smart enough to know nobody actually listened, and many in the crowd would grow agitated when their attention was held from the games for too long.

* * *

" _Uh… Katara?"_

 _Aang could feel his pulse flutter as the healer turned towards him, giving him a smile._

" _Aang! How are you?" She asked, setting her herbs aside._

" _Uh… I'm fine," He said, unable to wipe the stupid smile off his face. "I wanted to see if you, uh… if you… Um…. Needed help packing!"_

" _Sure. If you want to be a pack mule, you won't hear me complain," She said with a laugh, and Aang swore he could feel his heart jump into his throat. "If you want, you can put those supplies on the bed into that pack over there."_

" _Um… Is Yugoda here?" He asked, moving towards the bed as he glanced around the room. The old healer didn't appear to be around, but Sukki had warned him of how cautious he had to be._

" _No, she's with The Family. Making sure everything will be satisfactory when we get to the Water Nation. Why?"_

" _I… I need to ask you a favor."_

* * *

Toph chuckled under her breath, glancing over at Zuko, who was practically vibrating in anger, staring up at the box where the man speaking stood, while Lord Ozai, his wife, and daughter sat next to him.

"Not a slug fest, huh?" She said sardonically.

"Yeah, well… Guess this just isn't my day," Zuko muttered, turning his glare towards the other gladiators. "Listen… I don't know about Ushu, but the twins? They're nasty. The taller one freezes everything to ice, and his brother gets close and slices their limbs off with a Water Whip. His range sucks though, so if you can avoid the brother turning you into an icicle, and keep more than a few feet away you'll be fine. I got nothing on the Fire Bender; he wasn't here last year."

Toph grinned, lighting putting one foot forward, just barely resting her toes on the ground. "And he won't be here next year either. Can you keep those two busy?"

Zuko grimaced, glancing over at the two, before looking back. "For a minute, maybe. Much more than that…"

Toph shrugged. "Won't need more than that. Once we get rid of him, it'll be an even match. Then we can play for the crowd. But first, we get it manageable."

"Begin!"

* * *

 _Zuko was nearly asleep, drifting off to the sounds of the fountain outside his quarters when he heard it. Soft, quiet footsteps inching closer to his bed._

 _Back tensing, he forced himself to remain still, forced himself to keep his eyes closed, waiting._

 _After a few seconds, he felt the bed divot a bit, as someone sat down. Knowing his moment had come, he sprang into a sitting position, his hand wrapping around the person's throat, slamming them the foot or so across the bed into the wall. It wasn't until he called Fire to his hand, ready to smash the person's face to charred, burnt little bits that he hesitated._

" _Mei?"_

 _She didn't move, her coal black eyes locked on his, devoid of fear –a feat few people had ever managed, staring him down when he was ready for the kill._

" _The hell are you_ _doing_ _here?" He demanded, before realizing he still had a death grip around her throat. Instantly, he released her, moving off the bed, and grabbing his shirt, throwing it over his head quickly. "I could've killed you."_

" _You didn't," She said dryly, pulling her feet underneath her, and getting comfy. "I wanted to see if you were ready for the trip tomorrow."_

 _Scoffing, he flopped down in the chair by the little table, folding his arms across his chest. "Does it matter? Not like I can say 'no', and stay here."_

 _She shrugged, pursing her lips a bit. "Point. But if you needed help with something, I could –"_

" _Why are you_ _here_ _, Mei?" He interrupted, uncrossing his arms, and leaning forward, searching for any hint of… well… anything on her face. "What do you want?"_

 _She shrugged again, but he caught the slight flash of something across her face as she shifted, putting her feet out to the side, and propping herself up with one hand. "For things to be what they were, I suppose. We used to do this. Remember?"_

 _He laughed harshly. "You mean before we were both slaves, or before us, together, became Ozai's main amusement? We can't go back to what we were, Mei. Too much has happened. I'm the Champion of House Sozin, and you're Ozai's personal slave. It's bad enough being together when we're forced to for entertainment; spending time together outside of that is… I can't_ _pretend_ _like you can, Mei. I can't hide like you can. I can't sit here and have a conversation with you about the weather, when I know Ozai's throwing a party the night we get back. Assuming I survive the arena, that is."_

* * *

Mei watched as –in a split second –Zuko disappeared, and the Champion arose, lashing out violently against the two Water Bending brothers. The twin columns of flames sent the two diving for cover, while Toph went after the other Fire Bender, hurling two boulders flying at him.

Ushu ducked the first one, and blasted the second one to bits, but chunks of burning rock pelted his skin, one small piece catching him in the jaw, causing him to cry out. An angled pillar of Earth shot out, Toph riding on top, sending her skyrocketing towards Ushu, dozens of smaller rocks floating around her, shooting out occasionally. Ushu went on the defensive, backing away as he shot individual rocks, trying to stay out of Toph's reach.

Zuko wasn't doing nearly as well, she noted worriedly. While he was keeping the brothers from getting closer, he was all defense –unusual for him. While he lashed out viciously with his Flames, all he could do was keep the two away from him, unable to search for the killing blow. Dodging tendrils of water creeping around his feet, he back flipped backwards, but as soon as he landed, Mei could tell something had gone horribly wrong, agony marring his face as he screamed.

Seeing their chance, Ikiaq and Iluk moved in for the kill, sending thin whips of water towards him, slicing at his arms and legs as Zuko desperately hobbled backwards, throwing up walls of fire in front of him.

Glancing back over at Toph, Mei was just in time to see Ushu scream in terror, moments before a boulder the size of a horse crushed his head into the wall of the stadium. Without missing a beat, Toph turned towards the brothers, reaching her hands out, raising them slowly, and pulling up a ten foot wall between Zuko and them. Her goal apparently accomplished –and Mei could never thank her enough for that –she threw herself at the Water Benders.

Ikiaq nodded to his brother, who charged around the wall. Iluk met Toph's charge, a river of water surrounding him.

Iluk threw a tidal wave at the small girl, vanishing her from sight for a moment. The crowd held its collective breath, breathing a sigh of relief when the water receded, showing them the small Earthen mound seconds before it exploded out, sending small, dagger sharp chunks in every direction.

Toph was too busy trying to keep alive to figure out where Zuko was. She'd done what she could for him, but she'd expected the brothers to fight together. When they'd split up, she knew she had to take the one charging at her; anything else was suicide. And worse, pointless suicide.

She had to hope he could manage one. Especially since she wasn't doing particularly well against the shorter of the two brothers. While she was holding her ground, it was a bare thing. She blasted the ice shards with hunks of stone, but he was sending dozens of them at her, culling them from the water he already had, while she had to pull the stones from the ground as quickly as she could to shatter the ice.

Time seemed to slow down, and rush by, losing all meaning as she became lost in the endless dance. She knew she was slowing down, unable to sense where the shards were even coming from anymore, taking dozens of cuts as she tried throwing up a wall.

But she'd severely miscalculated. In her exhaustion, she'd been so focused on pulling the wall, she'd forgotten to keep track of the man, right up until she felt a huge block of ice slam into her head, smashing her forward into her own wall, before she slumped to the ground.

She could feel the blood dripping down her face, and for once, she was thankful to be blind; she could feel the sticky stuff covering her eyes.

But whatever thankfulness she had vanished quickly, the unmistakable vibrations of footsteps sending her scrambling to try and stand.

She failed miserably. Her legs were jelly, sending her slipping back to the ground. She could only 'watch', her vibration picture fuzzy, as Iluk grabbed her by the throat, pulling his fist back.

"Beg for mercy," He hissed. "Quickly now before they order me to take the blow."

Confused for a moment, Toph could only shake her head, trying to clear the ringing in her ears.

"Don't be stupid, girl! Don't make me kill a child! You've done well, and the crowd won't want to see your blood spilt any more than it has been. Give the sign!"

For a second, she almost considered it. Then she couldn't help the savage grin on her face.

"I wouldn't worry yourself too much about it," She said viciously. She could sense his confusion…

But only for split second. Then a roundhouse kick sent him flying away from her, and his screams began as a wave of Fire –bigger than any Toph had ever seen before –crashed over him.

The screams only lasted a few seconds before choking off sharply.

"Thanks," Toph said gratefully, taking Zuko's proffered hand, and letting him help her to her feet.

"No problem," He grunted, and she suddenly found all his weight on her shoulders.


	16. You Make Me Nervous

A/N: Not gonna lie guys, was a little disappointed with the review turnout for the last chapter. If you don't like it, all you have to do is say so, and I can switch directions and whatnot. But I had one reviewer. I switched from AO3 because I thought I'd get more responses on here; if I don't, I can always just go back there.

* * *

Mai could only watch, unable to move, as Toph's knees buckled, the full weight of Zuko nearly dragging her to the ground. The little Earth Bender seemed surprised, and it took Mai a moment to remember that the girl was blind; she could see with the Earth, but she couldn't see the blood streaking down Zuko's face. Although she could probably feel the blood from his back on her hands where she held him up.

"Master, should I send for Katara?" She kept her voice even, almost careless as she looked down at Ozai. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ursa, her face ghostly white, and Azula, face turned in a petulant frown.

Ozai grimaced for a moment, clearly upset with the lackluster ending. But then he nodded. "Yes, have her head to their cell. Tell the guards to take him there."

"… From the arena floor, Master?"

He waved his hand irritably. "Yes, yes. It wouldn't do to have the girl break her back trying to drag him out. Oh, and Mei?"

Mei stopped, already halfway to the stairs. "Yes, Master Ozai?"

"Have Toph brought to me. I wish to speak with her."

Mai bowed her head, before forcing herself to take calm, even steps off the balcony box, until she'd disappeared down and around the staircase. Then, she flew down the steps, racing through the narrow underground chambers, making her way to where the gladiators were kept.

"You three!" She snapped, stopping long enough to glare at three of Ozai's Chi-Blockers, the red phoenix on their armor making them stand out. "Get to the arena, and bring the Champion to the Healer's Rooms. Katara and Yugoda will meet you there. Afterwards, escort the Earth Bender girl to the Master. Now!" She barked, when they stared at her stupidly for a moment. "Before I tell the Master how you hesitated before following his demands!"

She didn't wait to see if they were listening, gliding past them, and down the darkened corridors to the Healer's rooms, a feeling of relief washing over her when she seen Katara already laying fresh sheets on one of the many tables.

"You saw?"

Katara shrugged, not slowing as she went from the sheets to her herbs seamlessly. "No. But I knew he wasn't ready. Win or lose, he wasn't going to be walking out of the arena. Even in a best case scenario, one of them would probably be injured, and Zuko was the obvious choice. How bad is it?"

Mei shrugged, glancing down the hallway, waiting impatiently for the guards. "Couldn't really see from the box; he took a few blows, and some cuts, but I'm almost positive he tore something before the fight even really started."

"I knew it. I knew his back wasn't ready. He shouldn't have went in. I hope this was all worth it," Katara snapped, smacking her hands on the table, glaring at Mei.

Mei scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't know… Why don't you go ask Master Ozai? See what kind of response he gives you… If he doesn't just take your head."

Katara glared at her, but their staring contest was quickly cut short as two of the Chi-Blockers carried Zuko into the room. At some point, he'd regained consciousness, and he tilted his head back far enough to glance at the two girls.

"I'm back," He said hoarsely, his face clenched in pain. He seemed unable to hold himself up, both arms propped up around the guards' shoulders, the blood dripping down his face creating a horrifying tableau.

Katara rolled her eyes, and motioned towards the table. "Lay him on his stomach. Carefully," She ordered, sending a glare at the two guards.

As they were doing so, Mai happened to glance over at the hallway, her face hardening at the sight of Toph.

"Master Ozai wanted to speak to you," She said sternly, moving closer to the little girl.

Toph stuck her chin out, glaring back up at her. "And I'll go as soon as I make sure Zuko is fine. He saved my life out there, and I'm not leaving until I know he's okay."

"If you don't, Ozai will –"

"I'm fine, Toph," Zuko grunted, picking his head up enough to look at her. "If you take any longer though, you won't be. Get outta here."

The girl glanced at Katara, who nodded, giving her a warm smile.

"Fine," She muttered. "I'm goin'. I'll be back though," She threw out, before storming back down the hallway.

* * *

It was night when Aang snuck into the Healer's rooms, trying his best to ignore the moans of pain as he looked for Katara.

After a few minutes, he found her at the very back, in his own separate room, having to wander past at least a dozen injured –and possibly dying –gladiators until he found them, peaking his head around the open door. She was sitting on a stool, staring at Zuko, who looked to be sleeping on the patient's table.

"Katara?" He said hesitantly, his voice low as he stepped closer.

She startled a bit, turning to look over at him, giving him a tired smile. "Oh, hi, Aang. What're you doing here?" She asked curiously. "I thought Ozai had all the gladiators with him at the villa."

"Well, he did. I mean, not all of them, the ones who have matches tomorrow are still here too, and Iroh was staying to keep an eye on them, so I asked if I could stay too, and they said it was okay, so I'm still here, but since I'm with Iroh, I get to wander around, and I thought well, maybe since you're here, and you can wander, and I'm here, and I can wander, maybe we could just like… I dunno, go for a walk or something. If you want to," He added hastily. "Since we're both just hanging around."

Katara glanced over at Zuko, who was breathing easily on the table, her face hesitant for a moment, before relaxing. "I suppose that'd be okay. I gave him some herbs to help him sleep for a few hours. Yeah, a walk would be nice. Not that we can probably go far," She added with a sad chuckle as they exited the room. "I imagine there are guards everywhere, and they won't let us leave the arena."

Aang laughed as he grabbed her hand, dragging her along behind him. "We just have to ask Iroh; the guards let him do anything. If he tells them, maybe they'll let us up in the spectator stands, or even in the courtyard out front! I mean, it's all gated off, and it's not like we can really go anywhere in the freezing cold, but it's still nice, right?"

Katara laughed a bit, following him out into the corridor. "It's not that cold. Actually, before… all this… I'd always wanted to see the North Pole, and my sister tribe. This wasn't exactly the circumstances I had in mind when I pictured being here, though."

Aang nodded, glancing around at the stone walls. "Yeah. I get that," He said quietly, his enthusiasm somewhat muted.

"But I mean, you… The Last Airbender," Katara said, her happiness sounding forced as she changed the subject. "What's that like? I mean… Everybody thought the Air Benders were wiped out hundreds of years ago. But… here you are."

Aang shrugged uncomfortably. "It's… it's not so bad, I guess. I mean, it's not like I won't have kids someday, who will probably be Benders, you know?" He said after a few seconds, desperately trying to avoid directly lying.

Katara nodded, her face thoughtful. "I suppose that's one way to think about it. Although I don't ever, ever want kids," She said forcefully, her face darkening. "I don't want a life like this for them."

Aang quickly steered the conversation in happier directions, getting Iroh's permission to wander around the courtyard. It was a pleasurable hour, before Katara said she had better get back to check on Zuko.

"Well, at least let me walk you back," Aang said chivalrously. "There's a lot of rough types around."

Katara laughed. "I'm not totally defenseless," She said with a smile. "But I'd love the company."

As they walked back, Katara glanced over at Aang unsurely.

"I… Aang, what were you going to ask me?"

Aang looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"The night before we left for here. You said you needed a favor, but you never told me what it was."

"Oh. It uh… It was nothing. Stupid, really. No big deal," He said quickly. He'd chickened out, unable to actually take the plunge in starting a revolution, much less dragging Katara into it.

"Well, I mean, if you're sure… I –" She stopped abruptly as they entered the healing rooms, a frown on her face as she stared at the room where Zuko was kept. "Didn't I leave that door open?"


	17. Beginning Of The End

"You… You continue to… _disappoint_."

Zuko tried to roll over. Tried to lift his head. Panic coursed through him as he realized his limbs felt like they were attached to hundred pound weights. All he could manage was a weak groan, barely able to crack his eyes open long enough to see Ozai standing by his feet.

"You weren't supposed to survive your training. Yet you did. You weren't supposed to survive your first arena battle. Yet you did. You weren't supposed to survive this battle. Yet you did.

"Six years later, and here you lay. The _Champion_ of Capital City. _Guanjun_ of Ba Sing Se. _Victor_ of the Northern Water Tribe. From a little _pissant_ who cried when turtle ducks died, to the best gladiator in the Three Kingdoms. The boy who just wouldn't _die_."

Zuko groaned again as his head was harshly pulled up by his hair, desperate to make his limbs move, struggling against whatever held him paralyzed.

"You can't even _die_ right. You keep lingering on, healing injuries no one should recover from. At least your cousin gave the arena a glorious death. _He_ died with honor as he was _supposed_ to. But you _remain_ , feeding the rumors, and the tales. People talk about the 'Scarred Dragon', calling him 'Sozin's Bane'. Why… Why do you _not… just… die_?"

The last was hissed into his ear, sending shivers racing down his spine as he tried to turn away, hot tears of shame escaping as he felt the warm piss sliding down his leg.

"Worse, perhaps, than even that… Is the fact that at every single turn, you defy me. When you should limp away, like a broken child, you continue to stand. When I make you kneel, you look at me as if you're the master! My slaves – _mine_! –worship the ground you walk on. The people scream _your_ name, as you march past them in _chains_. My _wife_ pulls away from me, can barely stand to _look_ at me –because of you! They're not supposed to _worship_ you! A lowly, common slave! I slave I could kill any time I wanted to! Your life –everything you are –I control! I can do anything – _anything_ –I want to you, whenever I want!

"I could flick my wrist, and have a hundred slaves in here, each wanting a piece of you. Or… Or perhaps, once we get home… I'll have that beautiful girl you try so hard to hide your feelings for brought to me. How long do you think I could drag out her death, _slave_? How long do you thinks she could hold on, looking in your eyes, as you watched the very life bleed out of her? Hours? Days? Perhaps even weeks? All while you look on, chained, unable to move? How long before it drove you insane, hmm?"

* * *

"Aang, you need to go and find Sifu Iroh. Now," Katara whispered, heart thudding in her chest as she stared at the door. She wanted to believe it was something stupid, something innocent. Wanted to believe that maybe a passing healer had closed it, or even Zuko himself had gotten up and closed it.

But somewhere, deep down, she knew it wasn't either of those, or anything else that might be remotely 'okay'. There was a feeling of… absolute wrongness… emanating from behind that door. It was so strong, she barely noticed Aang running off to do what she'd told him, so caught up in the absolute evil radiating from the little room.

She took a hesitant step towards the door, raising her hand to go for the knob…

And that was when the door exploded in a million splinters, the heat from the room driving her scrambling backwards. Her mouth dropped open in silent horror as she watched the flames dance around the room, the inferno causing sweat to pour down her face as she tried to get to her feet.

"Zuko! Zuko!" She screamed, pushing her way forward, trying to get closer to the room. When the flames drove her back again, she turned towards the rest of the room, trying to find something to put the fire out with.

The entire place was in a panic, with gladiators and healers alike scrambling to get away from the inferno, which had spread to the outer walls.

"Ka… Katar…a…"

She spun around, shock filling her at the sight of Zuko pulling himself from the wreckage of the burnt room. Despite the questions that demanded answers, she ignored everything, grabbing a hold of the boy's arm, and throwing it over her shoulder. Grunting with the effort, she pulled both of them back to their feet, and struggled past the fire, to the door.

Outside was pure chaos. Slaves and freedmen alike milled in the courtyard, pushing as close to the gates and walls as possible in the courtyard, some yelling for the Water Benders to put out the fire. She spotted a few Benders trying, but without a concerted effort, they were having little effect.

"Have… To… Run."

"What?" Katara shouted, trying to make herself heard over the screaming of slaves, and the growing destruction as the fire grew.

"Ozai… Dead. Have… Run…" Zuko grunted again.

"You…" Katara couldn't even finish her sentence, her mind racing. He couldn't mean what she thought he meant.

"Katara! Zuko!"

Katara turned, Zuko on her shoulder slowing her movements, to see Toph darting towards them.

"Are you two alright? Did you hear? Master Ozai is missing!"

Zuko cracked open one eye, glaring up at Katara. "Told… you. Need… Run."

Katara took a deep breath, trying to think for a few minutes, before turning to Toph. "Are you with us, Toph?"

"What?"

"Are you with us?"

Instantly, the girl's eyes hardened, and she rubbed her hands together. "Tell me which part of the wall you want brought down."


End file.
